United Electric Co. Building
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1910 at 73 State Street in downtown Springfield, this limestone office building was constructed for the United Electric Company, a utility that supplied the city with power from the 1880s onward. Boston architect Thomas M. James, known for his many bank designs, gave it a Beaux Arts facade three bays wide, with two-story Ionic pilasters between slightly recessed bays, round-headed upper windows grouped with ornate spandrel panels, a projecting iron canopy over the center entrance, and a modillioned cornice topped by a clockface in classical framing. A compatible three-story rear addition by Kirkham & Parlett followed in 1927. The exterior remains unaltered. The building matters both as a record of Springfield's electrical history, from the first electric lighting in 1881 through the company's 1942 consolidation with Western Massachusetts Electric Company, and as one of only a few Beaux Arts buildings in the downtown. It is still used as offices.
Significance in brief: The building housed the offices of a major local utility and reflects the city's growth and prosperity in the early twentieth century. It is also described as an outstanding local example of Beaux Arts classicism, one of only a few in downtown Springfield. It retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship.
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 83000772, listed February 24, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 73 State St., Springfield |
|---|---|
| County | Hampden County |
| Listed | February 24, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000772 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Thomas M. James (architect); 1927 rear addition designed by Kirkham & Parlett |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts Classicism |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as offices; the exterior is described as unaltered apart from a compatible 1927 rear addition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.10009, -72.58783 (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 83000772.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7887723
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.