The former Sears department store building at 102 Main Street in Greenfield Massachusetts received a Paul and Niki Tsongas Award from Preservation Massachusetts for its successful historic rehabilitation. The project took a vacant Sears department store building constructed in 1929 and with the benefit of historic tax credits rehabilitated the building into a community health center.
Overview
Constructed in 1929, the building is included in the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s (MHC’s) Inventory of Historic and Archaeological Assets of the Commonwealth as part of Greenfield’s Central Main Street Area. Epsilon secured an eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, making the building eligible for historic tax credits. The project goal was to adapt the space into a community health center while retaining its historic significance.
Contribution
Epsilon’s service included preparing the three-part Massachusetts Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit (MHRTC) applications. Relying on historic photographs of the building and remaining original features, many aspects of the building were restored to their former appearance, including the exterior façade and tin ceilings. New spaces were created as well, now providing community art displays.
Achievement
The historic Sears Building received a Paul and Niki Tsongas Award from Preservation Massachusetts for its successful adaptive reuse into a community health center. Beyond simply preserving a historic building, the project provides vital community services to Greenfield area residents and helps to enliven the streetscape in downtown Greenfield.