National Register of Historic Places

Downing Street School

Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts
Listed
March 5, 1980
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
80000621

About this property

The former Downing Street School, now the Traina Center for the Arts of Clark University, is a historic school building at 92 Downing Street in Worcester, Massachusetts. Built in 1891 to a design by Boston-based architect William Forbush, it is a high-quality local example of Romanesque Revival architecture. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The Traina Center is located on the east side of Downing Street in southern Worcester, just north of the central campus of Clark University. It is a two-story brick building, with a hip roof and trim of granite and yellow brick. Its principal feature is a projecting section on its main facade, which has a three-story central rounded section. This is flanked by two-story projecting sections with large round-arch openings that shelter the building entrances. A rusticated stone beltcourse separates the basement from the first floor, and similar stone is used for the window sills, and some of the window lintels on the rounded section. Arched windows and openings are highlighted in yellow brick, which is also used for some window lintels, and a frieze band above the second floor. The building was built in 1891 to a design by Boston-based architect William Forbush. Forbush, about whom little is known, is also credited with the design of the Abbott Street School, which is similar to this one. It was used as a public school until at least 1980. Today it serves as the Traina Center for the Arts of Clark University; it houses an art gallery, and the university added a performance space to the rear of the building. National Register of Historic Places listings in southwestern Worcester, Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places listings in Worcester County, Massachusetts

Location

92 Downing St.
Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts
42.26300, -71.82512

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Drew, Elvira, Three-Decker
Industrial
0.2 mi
Abbott Street School
Industrial
0.2 mi
Dodge, Helen, Three-Decker
Industrial
0.2 mi
Ridyard, B. E., Three-Decker
Industrial
0.3 mi
Lumb, Thomas, Three-Decker
Industrial
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Downing Street School listed on the National Register?

Downing Street School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 5, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Downing Street School?

Downing Street School is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Downing Street School?

The period of significance for Downing Street School is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Downing Street School?

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