The Charles H. Hayes Buildings, located at 14-44 Granite Street, consist of two adjacent buildings associated with Haverhill’s continued industrial expansion in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a center for boot and shoe manufacture.
By the mid 19th century, shoe production was the dominant industry in Haverhill. Charles H. Hayes was one of the city’s most influential businessmen; he founded the C. H. Hayes Company, whose primary product was shoeboxes.
The east section of the Hayes Company’s factory, built in 1894, is a 6-story, Queen Anne Revival-style, red brick building. Its focal point is the pyramid-roofed stair tower. This building is a notable example of the work of prominent local architect Josiah M. Littlefield, who built many of Haverhill’s historic shoe factories and shoe-related buildings. The south building, designed by George W. Griffin and built in 1911, is a 7-story buff brick building with concrete detail; its restrained, symmetrical façade suggests the Classical Revival Style. Both buildings bear the name “Charles H. Hayes Building.”
Richard J. Derosas of Paramount Development Group introduced the Catholic Planning Office of Urban Affairs to the building in 2008. Mr. DeRosas and his partners received planning and zoning board approval for a plan of adaptive re-use to construct 57 new apartments into this underutilized manufacturing building.
The transit-oriented development is located in Haverhill’s Chapter 40R Smart Growth District program. The Hayes at Railroad Square was the first project permitted in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to be permitted using this program. It is located one block from the Haverhill Commuter Rail Station, with direct access to downtown Boston and the Amtrak’s Downeaster line. This project includes 57 units of affordable housing and newly renovated retail storefronts. The Hayes at Railroad Square, which opened in 2010, represents a $20 million investment in downtown Haverhill.
