The Boston Landmarks Commission (BLC) is the historic preservation agency for the City of

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

. The commission was created by state legislation in 1975.

History

Urban renewal in the United States started with the

Housing Act of 1949 The American Housing Act of 1949 () was a landmark, sweeping expansion of the federal role in mortgage insurance and issuance and the construction of public housing. It was part of President of the United States, President Harry Truman's program ...

, part of President

Harry Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Subsequen ...

's Fair Deal. In

, almost a third of the old city was demolished, including the historic West End, to make way for a new highway, low- and moderate-income high-rises, and new government and commercial buildings. The Boston Landmarks Commission was created by legislation in 1975 as a response to the mass demolitions, particularly the demolition of the Jordan Marsh Building on Washington Street. Built in the 1860s, the ornate building featured a well-known corner clock tower designed by Nathaniel J. Bradlee. Along with an entire row of annex buildings, the building was torn down in 1975 and replaced by a new building. Public outrage and grass roots protests influenced preservation legislation and sparked preservation action. There are now over 8000 landmarked properties in Boston.

Responsibilities

The chief responsibilities of the Landmark Commission include identifying historic resources through preservation surveys, protecting and recognizing historic properties through designation, and preserving designated Landmarks through the design review process. The BLC also administer
Article 85 Demolition Delay
for the entire city of Boston. Whenever a building proposed to be demolished is determined by BLC staff to be significant, the public is invited to testify at a public hearing. If the BLC invokes a 90-day Demolition Delay as a result, there is an opportunity for the community to participate in discussions with the developer and explore alternatives to demolition. The Commission meets twice a month on second and fourth Tuesdays
Design Review
starts a few hours prior to the business portion at every fourth Tuesday hearing. Applicants propose changes to a Landmark by presenting at the hearing, and the public is invited to comment.

Commissioners

Commissioners are nominated by professional and neighborhood organizations, and appointed by the Mayor. Most are also confirmed by City Council. All commissioner positions are voluntary. There are 85 commissioner slots among the Boston Landmarks Commission and the 10 local historic commissions, although BLC commissioners also hold slots on local commissions.

Historic districts

There are currently seven historic designated districts and three architectural districts. Each district has its own commission staffed by a preservation planner within the Boston Landmarks Commission. The commissioners assure that the architectural and historical integrity of the district is not compromised. The districts include: *Historic Beacon Hill District *

Back Bay Back Bay is an officially recognized Neighborhoods in Boston, neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, built on Land reclamation, reclaimed land in the Charles River basin. Construction began in 1859, as the demand for luxury housing exceeded the ...

Architectural District *Bay State Road/ Back Bay West Architectural Conservation District *St. Botolph Architectural Conservation District *Bay Village Historic District *South End Landmark District *Mission Hill Triangle Architectural Conservation District *Aberdeen Architectural Conservation District *Fort Point Channel Landmark District *Highland Park Architectural Conservation District Highland Park in Roxbury was most recently designated, in 2022.

References

External links