SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Historical Commission has approved plans for a mural on the east wall of 211 Worthington St., facing Stearns Square, that will depict individuals who were part of the city’s history.
The approval by a 4-1 vote followed remote hearings on June 17 and July 1. The downtown building houses Naismith’s Pub & Pretzel.
Artist John Simpson, who has various paintings and murals in the downtown and teaches at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, is expected to do the mural next spring, said project organizer Evan Plotkin.
The mural will be “beautiful and welcoming,” Plotkin said.
“We are really capturing the history of Springfield and some of the luminaries who had a lot to do with some of the things that made Springfield a unique and great place,” Plotkin said.
The preliminary mural rendering shows people ranging from abolitionists Frederick Douglass and John Brown to local sports legends such as Nick Buoniconti and Joe Scibelli. Plotkin said the specific selections are far more numerous and some could change.
In addition, there will be an effort to save and restore some of the existing images on the building, although many are extremely faded, he said.
The site of the mural is the Driscoll Building, built in 1894 and on the National Register of Historic Places. The mural needed Historical Commission approval due to its location in a historic district.
There were some concerns voiced by commission members, including that some changes could occur in the mural design. Both Plotkin and Simpson said their goals are to add to the downtown’s beauty and historic preservation.
The group planning the mural has a small grant and is raising private funds to help with the cost, Plotkin said.
Simpson’s art includes a Dr. Seuss mural on lower State Street under the Interstate 91 overpass. In addition, he has provided numerous paintings of historic and famous people at the long-vacant 13-31 Elm St. block at Court Square.
Plans for the new mural began several years ago as sought by former Sen. James Welch and then-state Rep. Sean Curran, now a city councilor, Plotkin said.
The Springfield Preservation Trust issued a letter opposing the mural plan, saying “a historic building should not be a canvas for a new mural.”
Historical Commission member Bryan McFarland cast the sole vote against the mural after raising concerns about advertising images on the wall that have been there for decades. Plotkin said the building housed a camera shop decades ago, and the wall appeared to be used to advertise photography products.
The commission, in voting to approve the mural, added the stipulation that the artist will do his best to duplicate some of the features still visible on the wall.
Related content:
- Fresh Paint Festival cuts ribbon on 10 murals celebrating Springfield
- Springfield Museums mural project needs community help
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