Architecture

Springfield's Center City is rich in architectural extravagance, evident by the many buildings located in the downtown that now grace The National Register of Historic Places. Standouts can be found throughout the downtown in many styles and continuing to serve many functions. Others await restoration to serve as engines for economic development and community building.

From the majestic peaks of the City Building's clock tower, built in 1889-90 at the Fountain Avenue Esplanade, to the splendor of the 1893 Bushnell Building located on East Main Street, Center City has much to celebrate.

From Italian Renaissance to Federalist to Richardson Romanesque and more, Center City retains a rich tapestry of architecturally significant structures. Many of the buildings downtown are historically and architecturally significant and stand today as landmarks to our city's heritage.

Westcott House Brings Architectural Focus

Springfield is also fortunate to have a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home just a mile from downtown on E. High St. The Center City Association will work closely with the Westcott House Foundation to accommodate the many visitors who come to appreciate this treasure.

The home had declined over the years despite strong efforts by some individuals. The Frank Lloyd Wright Conservancy in Chicago purchased the house in September 2000 for $300,000. The Westcott House Foundation has since acquired the property and leading it restoration.

Wright is considered one of the greatest architects of the 20th century. The Westcott House was among his early works and seems heavily influenced by time spent in Japan prior to its design. He built it in 1904 for Burton Westcott, whose company manufactured luxury touring cars. The house had 12 rooms, including a 20-foot by 60-foot family room, five bathrooms, a patio terrace, cantilevered porches, courtyard, pergola and carriage house featuring a car-sized turntable for forward-gear only autos of the time. The Westcott House is one of about 350 Wright houses remaining in the world and 11 in Ohio. The Ohio Preservation Alliance had put the house on its list of 10 most endangered Ohio sites for 2000-01. Officials there have called it "one of Ohio's premier architectural gems, and which could become a site of statewide pride and importance."

Mark Chepp, director of the Springfield Museum of Art told CNN in 2000, "it's certainly the most important single work of art in Springfield, Ohio, possibly also in the southern part of Ohio. I think a case could be made that it may be the most important 20th-century building in the state of Ohio simply because it's the only Frank Lloyd Wright house from this period."

Coming Soon: A downtown architectural walking tour.