▁The ▁block ▁represents ▁the ▁approach ▁to ▁urban ▁settlement ▁which ▁is ▁based ▁on ▁family ▁housing ▁in ▁contrast ▁to ▁housing ▁of ▁single ▁men , ▁the ▁pre domin ant ▁approach ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁ ▁The ▁property ▁on ▁the ▁northern ▁bank ▁of ▁the ▁Mill ▁Brook , ▁where ▁the ▁block ▁is ▁currently ▁located , ▁was ▁purchased ▁by ▁the ▁W inds or ▁Machine ▁Company ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 8 0 s . ▁A ▁new ▁plant ▁was ▁constructed ▁nearby ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁and ▁a ▁club ▁and ▁a ▁d orm itory ▁for ▁the ▁workers ▁was ▁constructed ▁on ▁the ▁site . ▁The ▁club ▁was ▁badly ▁dam aged ▁by ▁fire ▁and ▁demol ished ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 0 s , ▁which ▁caused ▁a ▁housing ▁short age . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁workers ▁at ▁the ▁plant ▁was ▁around ▁ 1 6 0 0 . ▁The ▁new ▁a partment ▁block ▁was ▁constructed ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁replace ▁the ▁lost ▁housing . ▁The ▁location ▁was ▁chosen ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁plant ▁as ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁public ▁transport ation ▁in ▁W inds or , ▁and ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁cars ▁was ▁restricted ▁in ▁winter ▁by ▁the ▁climate ▁conditions . ▁ ▁The ▁contract ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁block ▁was ▁awarded ▁to ▁Massachusetts - based ▁L . ▁A . ▁La f rance ▁company ▁and ▁started ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 2 0 . ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁completion ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 , ▁the ▁N AM CO ▁block ▁was ▁the ▁biggest ▁resident ial ▁building