Collins Building
Also known as: Bowdoin Hall; Mt. Bowdoin Hall; New Washington Auditorium; Silver Manor
Why it's listed
Built in 1898 at the corner of Washington and Norwell Streets in Dorchester, this three-story brick building was developed by real estate dealer Charles F. Collins, who also designed it. It is Colonial Revival in style, with limestone lintels and sills, brick dentils, a pressed metal cornice and fluted cast-iron storefront columns. Originally it held two stores on the ground floor, offices on the second and a large function hall on the third. It was the only commercial building in the largely residential Mt. Bowdoin area when completed. Over the decades, Jewish merchants and professionals ran businesses here as Jewish families settled in the neighborhood, and the hall, known at different times as Bowdoin Hall, Mt. Bowdoin Hall, New Washington Auditorium and Silver Manor, hosted local organizations. The city took the property in 1980 for unpaid taxes and returned it to private hands in 1998. A rehabilitation for shops and apartments was underway at the time of listing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is tied to the development of the Mt. Bowdoin neighborhood and to the Jewish community that settled in Dorchester in the early 20th century. It was the only 19th-century commercial structure in a mostly residential area, and its third-floor hall served local groups as a function and meeting space. It is considered locally significant under Criterion A.
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 05000559, listed June 8, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 213-217 Washington St., Boston |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | June 8, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000559 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1898-1955 |
| Architect / builder | Charles F. Collins |
| Architectural style | Late 19th / Early 20th Century Revival: Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant/not in use, with window openings boarded up; the form says it was being rehabilitated with federal investment tax credits for retail on the ground floor and apartments above. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.30063, -71.07639 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 05000559.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5147355
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.