Table of Contents
Lincoln Apartments
Architectural Description
The Lincoln Apartments are a modern interpretation of the garden style apartment complex popularized in suburban communities in the 1930s and 40s. It is a complex of ten 2-story and one 3-story masonry load-bearing structures. The units are typically 2 bedrooms with open living room and kitchenette. Each has outdoor circulation through steel canopied corridors and stairs.
The buildings define four landscape courtyards. The first courtyard is defined by Units 1, 2, and 3 and features mown lawn with wooden picnic tables accessed from adjacent pedestrian walks by concrete stairs. The second courtyard is defined by units 3, 4, 5, and 6 and is occupied by a bituminous concrete parking area. The third courtyard is partially enclosed by buildings 6 and 7 and features evergreen and deciduous trees over mown lawn, a playground, and wooden picnic table. The fourth courtyard is fully enclosed by units 8, 9, 10, and 11 and features mown lawn with wooden picnic tables accessed from adjacent pedestrian walks by concrete stairs. Vegetation at the foundations of the buildings consists entirely of mature evergreen and deciduous trees. Deciduous street tree planting borders Lincoln Avenue.
Unit 1
Unit 1 is a twelve-unit two-story brick building with a flat roof. The brick is set in a common bond with 6th course Flemish headers set above the exposed concrete foundation. The building is oriented along a north-south axis with the main façade on the west fronting Lincoln Avenue. This façade has a continuous porch which is accessed from semi-enclosed stairways located at each end and serves as access to both the first and second floor apartments.
The west façade is symmetrically arranged with a pattern set by triple windows and an entry door mirrored by another entry door and set of three windows continuing the length of the building with a total of six units per floor. Unit 1 retains its original mill finish aluminum awning windows, each window composed of four horizontal lights. Each window has a steel lintel and a brick rowlock sill. Each entry door is provided with an aluminum storm door.
The porch floor at the first floor level is a concrete slab on grade. The second floor of the porch is composed of the cantilevered pre-cast concrete planks which form the second floor structure with the cantilevered pre-cast concrete roof planks providing cover for the second floor porch. There are six supporting decorative columns for the second floor porch but none continue to the roof structure, allowing it to read as a fully cantilevered structure. A painted steel guardrail spans between each column in which are located two painted steel chain-link panels except where two concrete stairs lead to grade adjacent to the two semienclosed stairways. These stairways, located at each end of the porch, include a steel framed stair with concrete filled treads which rises in a continuous flight. At the end of the porch and on the west face there is an aluminum and glass enclosure which replaced a similar original enclosure.
On the south façade there is a pair of windows and a single window at both floors. The north façade is similar with a window and door providing light and access to the basement.
On the rear, or east façade at the first floor level, there is a pattern of a single window, a door, and a double window and then the same pattern mirrored for each successive apartment. At the second floor level the same pattern repeats with a single window above each door. Between the pairs of windows on the first and second floor is a decorative brick panel with half bricks set in a stack bond pattern. This pattern does not repeat between the single window openings.
The roof edge is covered with an approximately one foot deep dark bronze anodized aluminum fascia.
Unit 2
Unit 2 is an eight-unit two-story brick building with a flat roof. The brick is set in a common bond with 6th course Flemish headers set above the exposed concrete foundation. The building is oriented along an east-west axis with the main façade on the north fronting Unit 9. This façade is broken up into three distinct blocks with a common roof and open-air passages between the center block and the two side blocks. The passages each have a balcony at the second floor level and a stair to allow access to grade.
The north façade is symmetrically arranged with an eastern block having a double window and triple window at each floor, an open passageway with a stair from grade to a covered second floor balcony, a central block with a triple window, pair of double windows, and another triple window at each floor, followed by another passageway and an western block with a triple window and double window at each floor. There is one apartment unit on each floor in the eastern and western blocks and two apartments on each floor in the central block. Unit 2 has dark bronze anodized aluminum one-over-one double-hung replacement windows. Each window has a steel lintel and a brick rowlock sill. Between the first and second floor windows is a decorative brick panel with half bricks set in a stack bond pattern. Within the open-air passageways there is a door to each unit and a window for the second floor apartment. Each entry door is provided with an aluminum storm door.
The balcony stair is a steel framed stair with concrete filled treads. The railing system at the second floor balcony is a painted steel guardrail with two painted steel chain-link panels.
The passageway floor at the first floor level is a concrete slab. The second floor and roof of the passageway is constructed of pre-cast concrete planks.
On the rear, or south façade at the first floor level, there is a pattern of a door, and a double window, the passageway, a double window, door, and single window and then the same pattern mirrored for the next two apartments. At the second floor level the same pattern repeats with a single window above each door. Between the pairs of windows on the first and second floor is a decorative brick panel with half bricks set in a stack bond pattern. This pattern does not repeat between the single window openings.
The roof edge is covered with an approximately foot deep dark bronze anodized aluminum fascia.
Unit 4
Unit 4 is a ten-unit two-story brick building with a flat roof. The brick is set in a common bond with 6th course Flemish headers set above the exposed concrete foundation. The building is oriented along an east-west axis with the main façade on the north fronting a court created by Units 3, 4, 5, and 6. This façade has a continuous porch which is accessed from semi-enclosed stairways located at the west end and a bridge from Unit 5 on the east end. The porch serves as access to both the first and second floor apartments.
The north façade is symmetrically arranged with a pattern set by entry doors with a pair of windows each side for each of the five apartments located on each floor. Unit 4 has dark bronze anodized aluminum double-hung one-over-one replacement windows. Each window has a steel lintel and a brick rowlock sill. Each entry door is provided with an aluminum storm door.
The porch floor at the first floor level is a concrete slab on grade. The second floor of the porch is composed of the cantilevered pre-cast concrete planks which form the second floor structure with the cantilevered pre-cast concrete roof planks providing cover for the second floor porch. There are seven supporting decorative columns for the second floor porch but none continue to the roof structure, allowing it to read as a fully cantilevered structure. At the second floor, a painted steel guardrail protects the edge of the balcony with posts above the columns below. There are two painted steel chain-link panels in the distance between each column except at the west stair enclosure and at the bridge to Unit 5. The west stairway, located at the end of the porch, includes a steel framed stair with concrete filled treads which rises in a continuous flight and is enclosed by a glass and aluminum enclosure which replaced a similar original enclosure.
On the east and west façades there is a single window at the center of each floor.
On the rear, or south façade at the first floor level, there is a pattern of a double window, a door, and a single window and then the same pattern mirrored for each successive apartment. At the second floor level the same pattern repeats with a single window above each door. Between the pairs of windows on the first and second floor is a decorative brick panel with half bricks set in a stack bond pattern. This pattern does not repeat between the single window openings.
The roof edge is covered with an approximately foot deep dark bronze anodized aluminum fascia.
Unit 5
Unit 5 is a fifteen-unit three-story brick building with a flat roof. The brick is set in a common bond with 6th course Flemish headers set above the exposed concrete foundation. The building is oriented along a north-south axis with the main façade on the west fronting a court formed by units 3, 4, 5, and 6. This façade has continuous porches at each level which are accessed from semi-enclosed stairways located at each end and serves as access to both the first, second, and third floor apartments.
The west façade is symmetrically arranged with a pattern set by entry doors with a pair of windows each side for each of the five apartments located on each floor. Unit 5 has dark bronze anodized aluminum double-hung one-over-one replacement windows. Each window has a steel lintel and a brick rowlock sill. Each entry door is provided with an aluminum storm door.
The porch floor at the first floor level is a concrete slab on grade. The second and third floors of the porch are composed of the cantilevered pre-cast concrete planks which form the second and third floor structure respectively with the cantilevered pre-cast concrete roof planks providing cover for the third floor porch. There are eight supporting decorative columns for the second and third floor porches but none continue to the roof structure, allowing it to read as a fully cantilevered structure. A painted steel guardrail spans between each column in which are located two painted steel chain-link panels except where two concrete stairs lead to grade adjacent to the two semi-enclosed stairways. These stairways, located at each end of the porch, include a steel framed stair with concrete filled treads which rises in a continuous flight to each level. At the end of the porches and on the west face there is an aluminum and glass enclosure which replaced a similar original enclosure. Pedestrian bridges extend the second floor porch to Units 4 and 6.
On the north and south façades there is a double window at the center of each floor.
On the rear, or east façade at the first floor level, there is a pattern of a double window, a door, and a single window and then the same pattern mirrored for each successive apartment. At the second and third floor levels the same pattern repeats with a single window above each first floor door. Between the pairs of windows on the first, second, and third floors are decorative brick panels with half bricks set in a stack bond pattern. This pattern does not repeat between the single window openings.
The roof edge is covered with an approximately foot deep dark bronze anodized aluminum fascia.
Unit 6
Unit 6 is a ten-unit two-story brick building with a flat roof. The brick is set in a common bond with 6th course Flemish headers set above the exposed concrete foundation. The building is oriented along an east-west axis with the main façade on the south fronting a court created by Units 3, 4, 5, and 6. This façade has a continuous porch which is accessed from semi-enclosed stairways located at the west end and a bridge from Unit 5 on the east end. The porch serves as access to both the first and second floor apartments.
The south façade is symmetrically arranged with a pattern set by entry doors with a pair of windows each side for each of the five apartments located on each floor. Unit 6 has dark bronze anodized aluminum double-hung one-over-one replacement windows. Each window has a steel lintel and a brick rowlock sill. Each entry door is provided with an aluminum storm door.
The porch floor at the first floor level is a concrete slab on grade. The second floor of the porch is composed of the cantilevered pre-cast concrete planks which form the second floor structure with the cantilevered pre-cast concrete roof planks providing cover for the second floor porch. There are seven supporting decorative columns for the second floor porch but none continue to the roof structure, allowing it to read as a fully cantilevered structure. At the second floor, a painted steel guardrail protects the edge of the balcony with posts above the columns below. There are two painted steel chain-link panels in the distance between each column except at the west stair enclosure and at the bridge to Unit 5. The west stairway, located at the end of the porch, includes a steel framed stair with concrete filled treads which rises in a continuous flight and is enclosed by a glass and aluminum enclosure which replaced a similar original enclosure.
On the east and west façades there is a double window at the center of each floor.
On the rear, or north façade at the first floor level, there is a pattern of a double window, a door with a stoop, and a single window and then the same pattern mirrored for each successive apartment. At the second floor level the same pattern repeats with a single window above each door. Between the pairs of windows on the first and second floor is a decorative brick panel with half bricks set in a stack bond pattern. This pattern does not repeat between the single window openings.
The roof edge is covered with an approximately foot deep dark bronze anodized aluminum fascia.
Unit 7
Unit 7 is an eight-unit two-story brick building with a flat roof. The brick is set in a common bond with 6th course Flemish headers set above the exposed concrete foundation. The building is oriented along a north-south axis with the main façade on the west fronting Unit 8. This façade is broken up into three distinct blocks with a common roof and open-air passages between the center block and the two side blocks. The passages each have a balcony at the second floor level and a stair to allow access to grade.
The west façade is symmetrically arranged with a northern block having two double windows at each floor, an open passageway with a stair from grade to a covered second floor balcony, a central block with four double windows at each floor, followed by another passageway and a southern block with two double windows at each floor. There is one apartment unit on each floor in the northern and southern blocks and two apartments on each floor in the central block. Unit 7 has dark bronze anodized aluminum one-over-one double-hung replacement windows. Each window has a steel lintel and a brick rowlock sill. Between the first and second floor windows is a decorative brick panel with half bricks set in a stack bond pattern. Within the open-air passageways there is a door to each unit and a window for the second floor apartment. Each entry door is provided with an aluminum storm door.
The balcony stair is a steel framed stair with concrete filled treads. The railing system at the second floor balcony is a painted steel guardrail with two painted steel chain-link panels.
The passageway floor at the first floor level is a concrete slab. The second floor and roof of the passageway is constructed of pre-cast concrete planks.
On the rear, or east façade at the first floor level, there is a pattern of a single window, a door, and a double window and then the same pattern mirrored for each successive apartment. At the second floor level the same pattern repeats with a single window above each door. Between the pairs of windows on the first and second floor is a decorative brick panel with half bricks set in a stack bond pattern. This pattern does not repeat between the single window openings.
The roof edge is covered with an approximately foot deep dark bronze anodized aluminum fascia.
Unit 8
Unit 8 is an eight-unit two-story brick building with a flat roof. The brick is set in a common bond with 6th course Flemish headers set above the exposed concrete foundation. The building is oriented along a north-south axis with the main façade on the east fronting Unit 7. This façade has a continuous porch which is accessed from semi-enclosed stairways located at each end and serves as access to both the first and second floor apartments.
The east façade is symmetrically arranged with a pattern set by entry doors with a pair of windows each side for each of the five apartments located on each floor. Unit 8 has dark bronze anodized aluminum double-hung one-over-one replacement windows. Each window has a steel lintel and a brick rowlock sill. Each entry door is provided with an aluminum storm door.
The porch floor at the first floor level is a concrete slab on grade. The second floor of the porch is composed of the cantilevered pre-cast concrete planks which form the second floor structure with the cantilevered pre-cast concrete roof planks providing cover for the second floor porch. There are six supporting decorative columns for the second floor porch but none continue to the roof structure, allowing it to read as a fully cantilevered structure. A painted steel guardrail spans between each column in which are located two painted steel chain-link panels except where two concrete stairs lead to grade adjacent to the two semienclosed stairways. These stairways, located at each end of the porch, include a steel framed stair with concrete filled treads which rises in a continuous flight. At the end of the porch and on the east face there is an aluminum and glass enclosure which replaced a similar original enclosure.
On the north and south façades there is a single window at the center of each floor.
On the rear, or west façade at the first floor level, there is a pattern of a double window, a door with a concrete stoop, and a single window and then the same pattern mirrored for each successive apartment. At the second floor level the same pattern repeats with a single window above each door. Between the pairs of windows on the first and second floor is a decorative brick panel with half bricks set in a stack bond pattern. This pattern does not repeat between the single window openings.
The roof edge is covered with an approximately foot deep dark bronze anodized aluminum fascia.
Unit 9
Unit 9 is an eight-unit two-story brick building with a flat roof. The brick is set in a common bond with 6th course Flemish headers set above the exposed concrete foundation. The building is oriented along an east-west axis with the main façade on the south fronting Unit 2. This façade is broken up into three distinct blocks with a common roof and open-air passages between the center block and the two side blocks. The passages each have a balcony at the second floor level and a stair to allow access to grade.
The south façade is symmetrically arranged with a western block having a double window and triple window at each floor, an open passageway with a stair from grade to a covered second floor balcony, a central block with a triple window, pair of double windows, and another triple window at each floor, followed by another passageway and an eastern block with a triple window and double window at each floor. There is one apartment unit on each floor in the western and eastern blocks and two apartments on each floor in the central block. Unit 9 has dark bronze anodized aluminum one-over-one double-hung replacement windows. Each window has a steel lintel and a brick rowlock sill. Between the first and second floor windows is a decorative brick panel with half bricks set in a stack bond pattern. Within the open-air passageways there is a door to each unit and a window for the second floor apartment. Each entry door is provided with an aluminum storm door.
The balcony stair is a steel framed stair with concrete filled treads. The railing system at the second floor balcony is a painted steel guardrail with two painted steel chain-link panels.
The passageway floor at the first floor level is a concrete slab. The second floor and roof of the passageway is constructed of pre-cast concrete planks.
On the rear, or north façade at the first floor level, there is a pattern of a door, and a double window, the passageway, a double window, door, and single window and then the same pattern mirrored for the next two apartments. At the second floor level the same pattern repeats with a single window above each door. Between the pairs of windows on the first and second floor is a decorative brick panel with half bricks set in a stack bond pattern. This pattern does not repeat between the single window openings.
The roof edge is covered with an approximately foot deep dark bronze anodized aluminum fascia.
Unit 10
Unit 10 is a twelve-unit two-story brick building with a flat roof. The brick is set in a common bond with 6th course Flemish headers set above the exposed concrete foundation. The building is oriented along a north-south axis with the main façade on the west fronting Lincoln Avenue. This façade has a continuous porch which is accessed from semi-enclosed stairways located at each end and serves as access to both the first and second floor apartments.
The west façade is symmetrically arranged with a pattern set by an entry door with a pair of windows on one side and a triple window on the other side. This pattern mirrors down the length of the building for each of the six apartments per floor. Unit 10 has dark bronze anodized aluminum one-over-one double hung replacement windows. Each window has a steel lintel and a brick rowlock sill. Each entry door is provided with an aluminum storm door.
The porch floor at the first floor level is a concrete slab on grade. The second floor of the porch is composed of the cantilevered pre-cast concrete planks which form the second floor structure with the cantilevered pre-cast concrete roof planks providing cover for the second floor porch. There are six supporting decorative columns for the second floor porch but none continue to the roof structure, allowing it to read as a fully cantilevered structure. A painted steel guardrail spans between each column in which are located two painted steel chain-link panels except where two concrete stairs lead to grade adjacent to the two semienclosed stairways. These stairways, located at each end of the porch, include a steel framed stair with concrete filled treads which rises in a continuous flight. At the end of the porch and on the west face there is an aluminum and glass enclosure which replaced a similar original enclosure.
On the north and south façade there is a pair of windows and a single window at both floors.
On the rear, or east façade at the first floor level, there is a pattern of a single window, a door, and a double window and then the same pattern mirrored for each successive apartment. At the second floor level the same pattern repeats with a single window above each door. Between the pairs of windows on the first and second floor is a decorative brick panel with half bricks set in a stack bond pattern. This pattern does not repeat between the single window openings.
The roof edge is covered with an approximately foot deep dark bronze anodized aluminum fascia.
Unit 11
Unit 11 is an eight-unit two-story brick building with a flat roof. The brick is set in a common bond with 6th course Flemish headers set above the exposed concrete foundation. The building is oriented along an east-west axis with the main façade on the north. This façade is broken up into three distinct blocks with a common roof and open-air passages between the center block and the two side blocks. The passages each have a balcony at the second floor level and a stair to allow access to grade.
The north façade is symmetrically arranged with an eastern block having a double window and triple window at each floor, an open passageway with a stair from grade to a covered second floor balcony, a central block with a triple window, pair of double windows, and another triple window at each floor, followed by another passageway and a western block with a triple window and double window at each floor. There is one apartment unit on each floor in the eastern and western blocks and two apartments on each floor in the central block. Unit 11 has dark bronze anodized aluminum one-over-one double-hung replacement windows. Each window has a steel lintel and a brick rowlock sill. Between the first and second floor windows is a decorative brick panel with half bricks set in a stack bond pattern. Within the open-air passageways there is a door to each unit and a window for the second floor apartment. Each entry door is provided with an aluminum storm door.
The balcony stair is a steel framed stair with concrete filled treads. The railing system at the second floor balcony is a painted steel guardrail with two painted steel chain-link panels.
The passageway floor at the first floor level is a concrete slab. The second floor and roof of the passageway is constructed of pre-cast concrete planks.
On the rear, or south façade at the first floor level, there is a pattern of a door, and a double window, the passageway, a double window, door, and single window and then the same pattern mirrored for the next two apartments. At the second floor level the same pattern repeats with a single window above each door. Between the pairs of windows on the first and second floor is a decorative brick panel with half bricks set in a stack bond pattern. This pattern does not repeat between the single window openings.
The roof edge is covered with an approximately foot deep dark bronze anodized aluminum fascia.
Lincoln Apartments
The eleven detached units of Lincoln Apartments were constructed in 1958 at the southern end of the campus. The complex was designed by architect Louis Warren Ross, who was a member of the institution’s class of 1917. Ross was an active alumnus and a member of the institution’s UMass alumni corporation which formed in the mid 1930s. From that time until the early 1960s, Ross was the most prolific architect of the campus. He was responsible for the design of more than twenty structures, including nearly all the dormitories constructed between 1935 and 1963. This body of work established the Georgian Revival style as a dominant tradition for the residential quadrangles of the campus. However, Ross’s later work for the school also included the 1956 Student Union, which was designed in a more contemporary modern style.
The similarity of design approach between the apartment complex and the Student Union also reflected the novelty of these building projects. Although the apartment building or multifamily residence had been a dominant typology since the 1920s, the influence of new design issues provided a clear contrast between the Lincoln Apartments and Ross’s design for the University Apartments from the previous decade. In the newer project, the suburban context is re-approached with a focus on the automobile, and the site plan was defined by an insular series of parking lots for the tenants of each unit. Convenience also informed the circulation within the units which were primarily two stories in height and all accessed via open-air corridors. The arrangement of exterior courtyards was also designed for more utilitarian purposes including furnishings for drying clothes and playgrounds for children. The most obvious departure between the two projects is the elimination of classical decoration from the Lincoln Apartments and the functional expression of contemporary building materials such as machine-made brick and cast concrete. The units are simple rectangular forms with flat roofs and linear corridors defined by glass enclosures and metal pipe railings. One of the few truly decorative aspects of the project was the use of wrought-iron railings having a vine motif.
The pedestrian circulation system associated with the buildings both then and now consists of bituminous concrete sidewalks. The original landscape design included shrub foundation planting, lawn, a few deciduous and evergreen trees, and upright evergreen shrubs at building corners. A few of the deciduous and evergreen trees remain, although much of the foundation planting of shrubs and upright evergreen shrubs has been lost or removed.
