Fox, Warren, Building
Why it's listed
Rising four stories along Middlesex Street in Lowell, this brick block was built in 1884 by Warren Fox. It was designed as a 16-unit apartment house with two ground-floor shops, and it keeps its original plan, including a central wood stair with turned newel posts and a skylight. The facade has cast iron storefronts, a granite lintel carved with the date, brick pilasters, granite sills and lintels, and decorative brickwork such as checkerboard panels and a stepped corbel cornice. Its significance lies in what it shows about Lowell's growth. After the Civil War the corporation-run boardinghouses gave way to unskilled immigrant labor and a need for family housing, and blocks like this one combined retail and rental apartments. Early tenants included a watch and jewelry dealer, and later ones included shoe stores. The design is vernacular Late Victorian commercial, typical of the city, and no architect is known. It is described as one of the best preserved examples of its type on the street, which has lost several similar buildings.
Significance in brief: The building is presented as a representative and well-preserved example of the commercial and residential development along Middlesex Street in late 19th-century Lowell. It met the need for new housing for mill workers after the corporation boardinghouse system ended. It retains integrity and is significant locally under Criteria A and C.
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 89001609, listed October 12, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 190--196 Middlesex St., Lowell |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | October 12, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001609 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1884-ca. 1930 |
| Architect / builder | Built by Warren Fox; architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Retains its original plan; the form states it will undergo certified rehabilitation. Listed current function is work in progress. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.64066, -71.31197 (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 89001609.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715988
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.