Hollander Blocks
Why it's listed
Two apartment houses stand together on a corner lot on Prospect Hill in Somerville, one facing Walnut Street and one facing Pleasant Avenue. Built around 1890, they are Queen Anne in style, with Colonial Revival touches seen in their symmetry, abbreviated hipped roofs topped by elaborate copper cresting, and three-decker porches with simple balustrades and Tuscan-like columns. Clapboard siding is broken by wide bands of decorative shingles that mark the three stories. The land was part of an 1870 subdivision of Pleasant Avenue, later passed to Charles B. Hollander and then to his heirs. Investor T. Clarence Hollander built the 10-unit block at 56-58 Walnut Street and the 12-unit house at 4-6 Pleasant Avenue by 1895, answering a sharp rise in housing demand. The buildings retain their original character and anchor a neighborhood of mainly single and two-family homes, which is why they were recognized for architectural and local historical value.
Significance in brief: The blocks keep their integrity and reflect the late 19th century residential development of Prospect Hill. They are architecturally significant for Queen Anne style with Colonial Revival features, and historically significant as housing built when demand rose sharply at the end of the 1800s. The corner site forms a focal point in a neighborhood of mostly single and two-family homes.
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 89001296, listed September 18, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Walnut St. and Pleasant Ave., Somerville |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 18, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001296 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | T. Clarence Hollander (investor/builder) |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne with Colonial Revival features |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use residential; general condition stated as excellent. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.38396, -71.09505 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 89001296.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715546
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.