the building was constructed in 1911-12 to a design by b. edward geckler, a local architect whose works include apartment blocks like this, single-family residences, commercial buildings, and churches both in springfield and nearby longmeadow. it was built for tessie schaffer & company, a consortium of eastern european jewish immigrants. it originally housed a dry goods store in the corner retail space. many of the early residents were either native-born americans or french-canadian immigrants.