Bay State Road/Back Bay West Area Architectural Conservation District

The Bay State Road/Back Bay West Area Architectural Conservation District Commission meets the second Tuesday of each month to review proposed exterior design changes and alterations.

Design Review Process

All exterior work (including work at rooftops) that is, or will be visible from any public way is subject to the review of the Bay State Road/Back Bay West Area Architectural Conservation District Commission.  You must submit a Design Approval Application to the Commission and it must be approved by the Commission before beginning any exterior work that is subject to Commission review.

• To save time and costs, contact staff early in the  planning process to determine project compliance with guidelines.
• Review all instructions and documentation requirements before submitting your application to ensure it is complete. Only complete applications will be added to a public hearing agenda.
• Submit your application well in advance of a filing deadline in case it is marked incomplete and additional or revised information needs to be submitted.
• Staff is not available to review applications for completeness immediately upon submittal.
• Do not begin any work, or buy materials until after you have received confirmation your project has been approved.

History

The Bay State Road/Back Bay West area was created during the 19th century, as part of the large-scale land reclamation and infilling project that also created the Back Bay.  The first blocks of the Bay State Road area were laid out in 1889, with the majority of development occurring between 1895 and 1899.

In 1900, the Bay State Road Improvement Society (an organization of neighborhood property owners) agreed to prohibit commercial and industrial uses of their land for a period of fifty years.  As a result, all of the structures built in the Bay State Road/Back Bay West area were private residences until 1950.  Yet despite the predominantly residential character of the area, it has also been home to prominent hotels and two renowned medical clinics.

The Bay State Road/Back Bay West area contains several prime examples of various architectural revival styles popular during the late 19th century. The five major revival styles represented in the district are Classical Revival, Renaissance Revival, Georgian Revival, Federal Revival, and Tudor Revival.  It is the strength of the varying revival styles that characterizes the Bay State Road/Back Bay West area.