Dowlin Block
A staple of Main Street in North Adams, the Dowlin Block has gone through many changes in its over a century long history.
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Fred Forest Dowlin was a North Adams native, born on June 19, 1868. Dowlin studied at St. Joseph’s College in Ottawa, Canada. He also studied and graduated from the Boston University Law School, which led him to starting his law firm in partnership with E.H. Beer, called Beer & Dowlin. He was also involved in real estate development, and he financed the construction of the Dowlin Block on Main Street of North Adams in 1894. It was designed by the prominent local architect Edwin Thayer Barlow.
The Dowlin Block, from the early 1900s to the 1960s, operated as a store front at the bottom of the building and over time many businesses came and went. There were also office spaces on the higher floors, but one aspect of the building that has stood the test of time has been its use for apartments. Ever since its construction, the Dowlin Block has been home to multiple apartments. In the 1960s, the construction of an elevator in the building modernized the building even more.
One major change came in 1981, when a shopping mall was constructed at the bottom of the Dowlin Block. The shopping mall opened on May 2nd, 1981, under the name “Dowlin Square”. It first started with 7 retail firms that occupied the spaces and gave North Adams a new source of shopping and entertainment. A party was held on the night of the opening to give workers at the retail stores an opportunity to preview these newly renovated spaces. 150 workers gathered to celebrate the opening of the mall.
This new mall was an important development l for the block and North Adams itself. There were certainly high hopes for this mall as a spokesperson at the time named Arthur Del Negro stated, “Let’s see if we can make this a miniature Quincy Marketplace.” Unfortunately, the new mall’s success did not last long. By 1983, some stores such as Gatsby’s Screen Printing and Butcher Block Delicatessen had already decided to leave due to flooding in the building that was costing them money they did not have to repair. After the departure of these stores and a bookstore called Book End’s, Dowlin Square was left with only 3 of the 7 stores they had when they first opened.
The Dowlin Block remains on Main Street today, having undergone several slight renovations over the years but with its marble façade remaining relatively intact. In 2013, plans were put forward to knock down the back part of the building for more apartments, but those designs were never followed through on. As of 2026, the Dowlin Block does not currently have any business or apartments being operated in the building. Restoration work is ongoing so hopefully the Dowlin Block will soon be a part of North Adams’ retail and residential community again.
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Dowlin Block, 1911.
At this time many of the people coming in and out of Dowlin block would be living in apartments on the higher floors of this building. However, the bottom floors and storefront would be used for shops and businesses making the Dowlin block a true dual threat building that according to the North Adams Transcript had “suites of two, three and four rooms.” | Source: Courtesy of the North Adams Historical Society.
Dowlin Square, 1981.
In 1981, the Dowlin Block would undergo immense change, transforming into a indoor mall for the city. Known as Dowlin Square, the new mall would open its doors to the public on May 2, 1981. Expectations and hype around Dowlin Square were high. | Source: Courtesy of the North Adams Historical Society.
Dowlin Block, 1972.
The Dowlin Block in 1972 was set to undergo construction under new owner, Richard Scarafoni, That would take out a portion of the back and make way for parking; the plan never went through. The Dowlin Block had SEARS and many other businesses and stores that were on the lower levels. This made the Dowlin block an increasingly popular spot for people in the city.
The front side of a form that has a lot of the dimensions of the Dowlin block.
The form has the name, address, and even discusses the materials used for construction. The two images on the left show a photo of the block (top) as well as a Birds Eye view of where the building is in North Adams. This form shows the importance of the building as it holds such a long history in North Adams. | Source: Courtesy of the North Adams Historical Society.
A form that looks into the origin of the Dowlin block.
Check marks indicate that the original intention of the block was for community development. The image also provides some historical significance about the building, including the man the building is named after Fred Dowlin, and the unique architectural features. | Source: Courtesy of the North Adams Historical Society.