The Leather District

1-35 Albany St. is an industrial area located on the boundary of Boston’s Leather District, a nine-square block neighborhood that was part of the land-filled South Cove in the 1830s. In 1872, Boston suffered a massive fire, destroying 65 acres of property located on Summer and Kingston streets, devastating the business district and the shoe and leather industries. There was a great deal of change in the aftermath of the Great Boston Fire of 1872, as Boston’s boot and shoe industry, joined by the leather and dry good wholesalers, began to recover and relocate South, near the future South Station. The relocation of these industries had a major impact on the identity of the area next to this parcel, which came to be known as the Leather District, as the previous residential area became dominated by the leather industry. Filled with 19th century brick warehouse structures, this area supported both commercial and residential use and, as a result of the shift, by the end of the 19th century a majority of the businesses found on this parcel were shoe wholesalers and leather companies.

The 1872 Fire and relocation of the shoe and leather industries also influenced the construction and redevelopment of the commercial buildings on this parcel, as they were affected by the new, strict postfire building codes and specific accommodations for business needs including large steel framed, ground floor displays and upper level office spaces. By analyzing the 1882 Sanborn map, the facade of the building block on Albany St. was a uniform 3-storey brick structure, equipped with non combustible roof covering, a 30-inch fire wall above the roof next to unit 31, as well as 6" water pipe on the street. The ground floor accommodated businesses, as indicated by the label S and the upper levels provided office and residential space.