Griggs Building, 221-227 Bank Street, Waterbury, New Haven County, CT

Significance: The Griggs Building, built for a prominent Waterbury citizen, Henry C. Griggs, is an elaborate and rare example of the Queen Anne style applied to commercial architecture. The National Register states that the Griggs Building, designed by Waterbury architect Robert W. Hill, "stands among the best examples of Queen Anne commercial architecture in the state." Acknowledgment must be given to Hill's skillful incorporation of this style, known for its asymmetry and eclectic forms, into the facade-oriented building. But, perhaps more valuable than the individual significance of the Griggs Building, is its place within the Bank Street Historic District: a contiguous row of large multi-story buildings set close to the sidewalk, highly decorative and diverse in style, yet closely related in size, scale, and materials. Together the four buildings are typical of Waterbury's commercial architecture at the turn of the century. They also represent the city's prosperity and its economic growth during that period.
Survey number: HABS CT-410
Building/structure dates: 1884 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: 1904 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: 1978 Subsequent Work
National Register of Historic Places NRIS Number: 83001277