Morgan Block
Why it's listed
Morgan Block is a two-story brick commercial building at 313-333 Bridge Street in Springfield, Massachusetts, on the southern edge of Stearns Square. Built in 1929 to designs by Kirkham and Parlett, it replaced a site once occupied by Scott's Laundry. The Morgan Realty Company, probably a development arm of the neighboring Morgan Envelope Company, owned it and planned shops at street level with offices above. Those uses continue today. The Classical Revival facade is arranged in rhythmic two-bay groupings between brick quoined piers, with Classical medallions beneath the parapet. A recent renovation removed later storefronts and exposed the original ones beneath leaded transoms. Its scale and proportions fit with the older buildings around the square. It was recognized as one of the best designed and most intact small commercial and office buildings of its era in the city, and as an example of Springfield's commercial growth in the early twentieth century.
Significance in brief: The building is cited as one of the best designed and most intact small-scale, two-story commercial/office buildings of the early 20th century in downtown Springfield. It reflects the city's commercial growth in the latest phase of its major development period. The form also links it to the Morgan Envelope Company, one of the city's largest industries.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 83000757, listed May 27, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 313-333 Bridge St., Springfield |
|---|---|
| County | Hampden County |
| Listed | May 27, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000757 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Kirkham and Parlett |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used for ground-floor retail and upper-floor offices; a recent renovation removed later twentieth-century storefronts and revealed the original ones. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.10429, -72.59045 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 83000757.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715723
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.