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Back Bay Architectural Commission

The commission will hold its next public hearing virtually on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at 5 p.m.

Please note: This hearing will be held virtually and not in person. To participate, please go to our Zoom meeting link or call 301-715-8592 and enter meeting ID 980 3318 7641#. You can also email comments through email at backbayac@boston.gov

Public testimony begins at

Discussion Topics

  1. Design Review

    23.1015 BB 7 Newbury Street: At front façade install wall and window signage, and install flag holder and commercial flag.

    23.1052 BB 581 Boylston Street: At front façade replace storefront.

    23.1040 BB 777 Boylston Street: At front façade relocate existing door and add additional doorway and sign band; at rear elevation restore two windows and window openings; and at roof install new HVAC units and repoint masonry at existing mechanical headhouse.

    23.1031 BB 32 Hereford Street: Replace existing street light with DAS node.

    23.1007 BB 511 Beacon Street: At rear elevation mount HVAC unit to wall.

    23.1004 BB 114 Commonwealth Avenue: At rear elevation install HVAC unit in walled garden area.

    23.1047 BB 238 Marlborough Street: Repair, repoint and clean masonry; restore mansard window surrounds in-kind; restore front door; repair rotted window trim; remove fire escape on the fourth floor; remove pipe rail handrail at front steps and install new wrought iron handrail and garden surround; repair front garden curb surround; plant a new tree centrally in the front garden; install tree up-lights; re-certify all fire escapes; and remove wood stairs from the rear of the building to the alley level and replace with new masonry stairs and wrought iron railing to match the Marlborough Street façade.

    23.0963 BB 282 Marlborough Street: Foundation waterproofing at the entry stairs, requiring removal of two trees and excavation at the house foundation.  Replacement of the curbing at the front yard fence.  Repainting and repairing the existing fence and re-attachment to a new painted curb to match main access steps.  Removal of exposed portion of concrete footing at fire escape.  New front yard plantings and path lighting at main entry walk, and the side access walk to sunken courtyard.  Removal of existing staircase down to courtyard.  New staircase to be painted steel with wood treads.  Replacement of existing precast concrete paving with granite.  Repointing of existing brick retaining wall, replacement of brick wall wood and asphalt shingle cap with limestone cap.  Replacement of existing wood paneling with new wood paneling. Build new fence panel enclosure to conceal trash and recycling receptacles.

    23.1051 BB 389 Marlborough Street: Restoration of the front and rear facades; replacement of the doors and sidelights on the front facade at the 4th Floor terrace; modification of the fenestration on the rear façade at the garden level; and the addition of a roof deck. At the front yard replace the fence and curb at the front garden; material improvements to the front walkway; and a revised patio footprint with new plantings. At the rear yard repair and restore the existing brick retaining walls and patio; replace the existing wood fence along the patio and parking area; and repair the asphalt paving at the parking area (to be maintained as an existing condition).

  2. Administrative Review/Approval

    23.1048 BB 5 Arlington Street: Replace fifteen non-historic wood windows and one non-historic wood door in-kind.

    23.1011 BB 137 Beacon Street: At rear elevation restore windows and replace storm windows.

    23.1039 BB 204-206 Beacon Street: Replace existing condensers (2) with 2 Mitsubishi heat pumps; replace existing skylights with new skylights in same locations; replace existing headhouse with skylight; refurbish and re-clad existing headhouse; install new lighting, roof, copper siding, and patio door; rebuild existing chimney with salvaged and/or new brick to match existing; replace and relocate railing between refurbished headhouse and reconstructed chimney; and remove fire escape on Back Street façade connecting 204 and 206 Beacon Street.

    23.0948 BB 236 Beacon Street: At side elevation replace copper flashing in-kind and repair gutter and masonry.

    23.1042 BB 263 Beacon Street: At front façade replace concrete sidewalk with brick  pavers.

    23.1072 BB 274 Beacon Street: At roof replace black rubber membrane roof, copper coppings and flashings, and skylights in-kind; replace rubber membrane at penthouse with copper standing seam panels; and install safety railing.

    23.1025 BB 286 Beacon Street: At rear elevation replace four, lower-level one-over-one windows with wood one-over-one windows.

    23.0992 BB 400 Beacon Street: At front garden replace dying Magnolia tree in-kind.

    23.1022 BB 452 Beacon Street: At front façade replace four, second-story, one-over-one wood windows in-kind; and at rear elevation replace one, second-story, two-over-two wood windows in-kind.

    23.0926 BB 467 Beacon Street: At front façade install black iron handrails at entry steps.

    23.1035 BB 473 Beacon Street: At rear elevation replace four, second-story one-over-one wood windows in-kind.

    23.0965 BB 711 Boylston Street: At rear elevation infill existing window opening with brick matching surrounding masonry.

    23.0891 BB 152 Commonwealth Avenue: Installation of four HVAC units and guardrail at uppermost roof.

    23.0988 BB 192 Commonwealth Avenue: At roof replace existing tar and gravel roof with black rubber membrane roof.

    23.1017 BB 192 Commonwealth Avenue: At roof replace roofing, skylights and headhouse door in-kind.

    23.1044 BB 197 Commonwealth Avenue: Replace ten, one-over-one non-historic aluminum windows with one-over-one wood windows.

    23.0991 BB 256 Commonwealth Avenue: At rear elevation repair existing fire escape.

    23.0956 BB 263 Commonwealth Avenue: At front façade repair masonry.

    23.1018 BB 390 Commonwealth Avenue: At front façade replace eighth-story non-historic patio door in-kind.

    23.1034 BB 8 Gloucester Street: At side (north) elevation restore window opening and window at sixth-story.

    23.0954 BB 15 Hereford Street: At roof replace extension of chimney liner at existing chimney.

    23.1003 BB 163 Marlborough Street: At penthouse replace seven, one-over-one non-historic windows with one-over-one wood windows.

    23.1038 BB 173 Marlborough Street: At front façade repair and repoint masonry.

    23.0976 BB 180 Marlborough Street: Replace eight, one-over-one wood windows in-kind.

    23.1009 BB 192 Marlborough Street: At rear addition replace decking at existing roof deck.

    23.1026 BB 227 Marlborough Street: At rear elevation replace two, second-story, two-over-two windows with wood two-over-two wood windows.

    23.0862 BB 341 Marlborough Street: At roof replace black rubber membrane roof and existing roof deck in-kind.

    23.0912 BB 363 Marlborough Street: Replace twelve, one-over-one non-historic windows with one-over-one wood windows.

    23.0990 BB 205-207 Newbury Street: At front façade installation of dining furniture at existing patio areas.

    23.1049 BB 244 Newbury Street: At front façade replace existing blade sign.

    23.1046 BB 252 Newbury Street: At front façade replace wall signage at lower level.

    23.0632 BB 272 Newbury Street: At front façade replace wall signage at lower level.

  3. Ratification of 5-10-2023 Public Hearing Minutes
  4. Advisory Review

    374 Commonwealth Avenue: The Harvard Club is proposing to convert existing front yard into an outdoor patio for seasonal outdoor dining utilizing stone pavers with porous joints, planting beds, and low lighting. To gain access to the space, a small portion of the existing fence and curb will be removed and replaced in-kind with new gates that will match in kind to the existing iron work.

  5. Discussion of Proposed Guidelines for Ring Doorbells
  6. Staff Updates
  7. Projected Adjournment: 8:00pm
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