Preservation Achievement Awards

AstraZeneca Hope Lodge Center, Jamaica Plain

125 Huntington Avenue

Owner/Developer:

American Cancer Society, New England Division

Architect:

CBT Architects

Located on South Huntington Avenue in the Jamaica Plain and Mission Hill neighborhoods the Astra Zeneca Hope Lodge Center involves the historic rehabilitation of the Vincent Memorial Hospital, built by the Vincent Society to provide medical care for women and girls who could not afford proper care, and a new addition creating a forty-suite guest facility that offers residence to people receiving outpatient treatment for cancer.

The project reuses and adds to the site of the former hospital built in 1907 by architect Charles Buren Perkins and added to in the 1950s and 1960s.

CBT Architects' design included restoration of the late Victorian historic brick and ornamental terracotta façade and repair of the existing masonry. An Arts and Crafts Style fireplace constructed of matte-glazed Grueby tiles was preserved in its entirety. The fire- place, taken down tile-by-tile during construction, catalogued and stored off site, was then reassembled to recreate the original fireplace surround.The 1950s and 1960s additions and the South Huntington Avenue entry canopy were removed. The new addition includes a "quality of Life Center" for use by neighborhood residents. New red brick complements the original brick, and zinc shingles are used to highlight and give scale to the building, similar to how the terracotta was originally used. Finally, a garden on the south side provides a quiet contemplative place for residents to relax or use for planting, an activity that gives them hope during treatment. The owner is pursuing LEED Gold level certification for the project.

Zero Marlborough Street/6 Arlington Street

Back Bay

Owner/Developer:

Sea-Dar Construction

Architect:

Grassi Design Group, Guy Grassi, Principal & Hacin & Associates, Aaron Weinert, Principal

General Contractor:

Sea-Dar Construction

Landscape Architect:

William F. Fleming Landscape Architects

Six Arlington Street/Zero Marlborough Street is a twelve-story, purpose-built apartment block designed by Strickland and Blodget, and located on the northwest corner of Arlington and Marlborough Streets. Built in 1929 in the Art Moderne style, the bottom three floors were used by the Junior League of Boston and the upper eight floors were cooperative apartments.

Later, the building served as a dormitory for Katherine Gibbs students and more recently for Emerson College students.  One of a few buildings not built in the predominant style found in the Back Bay it serves as a gateway into the residential district and has a commanding view of the city.

Sea-Dar Construction and the Grassi Design Group have transformed the building from dormitory use into twelve residential condominiums and completed a total restoration of the existing structure.  It was carefully renovated under the guidance of the Back Bay Architectural Commission to help preserve its historic and architectural significance.  Exterior alterations include the removal of air conditioners, fire escapes, and exhaust duct; the replacement of the entrance door system; new custom lights; and the introduction of a new entrance marquee and rear balconies.  New energy efficient exterior doors, and windows in a more vertical 3 over 3 pattern, replaced the original 6 over 6 units, and new double glazed steel sash was installed at the penthouse level to replace the original steel sash. In addition, a large formal garden has been installed along the Marlborough Street façade.  The restoration of Six Arlington Street/Zero Marlborough Street is an outstanding example of residential renovation.

179 Lincoln Street

Leather District

Owner/Developer:

Millennium Partners – Boston

Architect:

CBT Architects

Contractor:

Bovis Lend Lease

Preservation Consultant:

MacRostie Historic Advisors

Known as The Albany Building, 179 Lincoln Street was designed by the well known Boston architectural firm of Peabody & Stearns and built by Norcross Brothers in 1899. The five-story Beaux Arts mercantile structure occupies an entire city block, is constructed of steel framing and terra cotta slabs with masonry exterior, and is adorned with iron piers with Adamesque decorative details.

Originally occupied by the United Machinery Company and Frank W. Whitcher Co., it is formally recognized as a contributing building to the historic Leather District.

Owned by Millennium Partners-Boston, extensive renovation work by CBT Architects was begun in 2007. The restoration project favored the Rose Kennedy Greenway by reorienting the entrance from Lincoln Street to face the new Greenway, thus removing the unsightly loading docks from the important front façade. The building’s owners complied with the City of Boston’s Article 37, Green Building initiative and Article 32, ground water recharge requirements and has applied to the US Green Building Council for LEED certification.

The National Park Service has recognized 179 Lincoln Street as a significant contributing building to the Leather District and it was restored under Park Service guidelines. It has received its Part 3 certification from the Park Service. Millennium Partners-Boston has granted a preservation easement to Historic Boston Incorporated, ensuring that the building will be maintained with no significant changes to its façade or building envelope.

311 Summer Street

Fort Point

Owner/Developer:

ADD Inc./311LLC

Architect:

ADD Inc.

Contractor:

Shawmut Design & Construction

Designed by the Boston Wharf Company's architect Morton D. Safford, 311-319 Summer Street is a splendid example of Classical Revival Style. Built in 1904, it was one of the early commercial buildings in the Boston Wharf District and was home to the Dwinell-Wright Coffee Company, one of America's largest coffee producers of its time. In a publication printed for its September 1904 opening day, the building is referred to as the "Most Modern Coffee Factory in the World!" Dwinell-Wright was so proud of it they created illustrations to use on their coffee cans and shipping crates.

These renderings indicate the importance of this period in the evolution of the American mercantile tradition and the significance that modernization, industrialization, and transportation played in the history of Boston and the Northeast. Plainly in view are trains, trolley cars, donkey carts and the first horseless carriages, a watershed in transportation and modernization. The company eventually falling into decline, the building became home to the Forte, Dupee, Sawyer Textile Company that flourished during the Wool Row heyday and was the last remaining wool company in Boston when they left the building in 2000.

ADD Inc. purchased the property in 2007 and sensitively preserved the historic character of the building, while repositioning it for use as its new offices. Using the latest sustainable design techniques, while respecting the historic fabric of the building, ADD Inc. rehabilitated 311 Summer Street so that it can once again be home to the most contemporary technology within a building that is beautifully restored. When certified by the US Green Building Council it will be one of very few LEED Gold Commercial Interiors in Boston.

Apple Boylston Street Flagship Store, Back Bay

815 Boylston Street

Owner/Developer:

Apple, Inc & Elaine Alexander, Heritage Legacy, LLC

Architect:

Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Construction Manager:

Shawmut Design & Construction

In the mid- to late-nineteenth century Boylston Street marked the edge of Boston's Back Bay and was a lively commercial throughway. The tradition continues today, and it is on this historic street within the Back Bay Architectural District that Apple Inc. chose to open its largest retail store in the United States.

To help Apple and its architects, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, navigate a difficult site, Boston permitting and Back Bay Architectural Commission (BBAC) regulations, it turned to Shawmut Design and Construction, McDermott, Quilty & Miller, LLP, and Boston Affiliates, Inc. Fifteen months of review led to construction, as well as some unique challenges. The resulting cutting-edge building within the Back Bay District represents a victory for Boston's permitting and design review process.

Apple's worldwide design concept was for a completely "transparent" all glass building that would express in its horizontality the functions within it. The BAAC worked closely with Apple's Boston team to incorporate vertical elements respecting the traditional rhythms of Back Bay buildings without compromising the innovative nature of the store. It features two floors of retail and one of technical support service organized around a three-story glass staircase. This is held within a cantilevered glass curtainwall façade that is one of the most advanced structural storefront systems in the world and includes advanced materials from France, Germany, Italy and Japan. With a living green roof for eco-friendly insulation, the new Apple flagship in Boston is one of the most innovatively designed Apple stores in the world.

Baker Square (Lofts at Lower Mills), Dorchester

1425 Adams Street

Owner:

Baker Square II Limited Partnership

Developer:

Winn Development

Architect:

The Architectural Team

The Baker Chocolate Company was established by James Baker & John Hannon in 1765, in Milton, Massachusetts and in 1806 was expanded into Dorchester. By the turn of the twentieth century Baker Chocolate was the dominant presence in the Lower Mills area of the Neponset River. In 1965 the business relocated to Dover, Delaware, leaving over fourteen acres of land and buildings vacant and abandoned. For the past twenty years the former Baker Chocolate Mills Complex has been under extensive renovation. Baker Mill and the Carriage House were among the last derelict and crumbling mills to be restored.

The Baker Square project involves the adaptive reuse of two buildings located in the former Baker Chocolate complex. Winn Development and The Architectural Team preserved the historic character of the buildings while creating sixty, one- and two-bedroom units of high-quality rental housing, 10 percent of which are affordable. The units feature high ceilings and exposed brick walls and beams. A public path along the Neponset River, complete with a canoe launch was also created. Thanks to Winn Development and its development team, Baker Mill and the Carriage House have been carefully restored and reflect their original beauty. Their preservation was a major step in completing the rehabilitation of the mills that made up the historic Baker Chocolate factory.

MBTA Charles/MGH Red Line Station, Beacon Hill

Charles Circle

Owner/Developer:

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

Station Architect & Urban Designer:

Elkus Manfredi Architects in joint venture with

Civil/Traffic Engineer:

HDR Engineering, Inc.

Located at the base of the Longfellow Bridge, the seventy-seven year-old Charles/MGH Station is a major transportation node, engaging Beacon Hill, the Charles River Esplanade, and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). For decades, the elevated platform of the station was impossible to reach other than by daunting pedestrian bridges and stairways. For physically challenged public transportation users, this stop was a major barrier to accessing MGH, just steps from the station. In a public/private partnership, the Massachusetts Bay Trans- portation Authority (MBTA), MGH, and the City of Boston oversaw the process of developing a safe and attractive new 12,000-square-foot station designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects & HDR Engineering.

The existing station was demolished, but the track layout was retained and improved. The historic elevated copper platform connecting the station to the Longfellow Bridge was restored and a new station was designed with the entrance moved to Cambridge Street, providing a dignified ground-level entrance for patrons who could not climb the stairways of the past, and crosswalks that traverse the station and offer passengers refuge from traffic and the elements. The station platform is now fully accessible by elevators and escalators housed in transparent sculptural glass curves that offer views to the river and complement both the old and the new architecture of the surrounding area.

The Gibson House Museum, Back Bay

137 Beacon Street

Owner/Developer:

The Gibson Society, Inc.

Architect:

Watson & Henry Associates, Michael C. Henry, PE, AIA, Principal

Construction:

Lumus Construction, Inc.

Fire System Design:

Heritage Protection Group; Advanced Safety Systems

Designed by Edward Clarke Cabot in 1859, this six-story brick-built row house located at 137 Beacon Street was built for Catherine Hammond Gibson and has essentially been preserved as it appeared during three generations of Gibson family occupancy (1859-1954). The building is a National Historic Landmark, and registered on the Massachusetts State Register of Historic Places. Since 1957, it has operated as a house museum of daily life in the Back Bay during the mid-nineteenth to early-twentieth centuries and as a museum of Victorian and Edwardian decorative arts.

When the house was completed in 1860, it had lighting, running water up to the third floor and central heating, making it among the most modern residences in Boston. Electricity was added in the early 1900s. As the Gibsons either replaced or retrofitted building systems, they left older systems in place.

In 2002 an historic structures report recommended that fire detection and fire suppression systems be installed. Designs by the project architect Watson & Henry Associates, in conjunction with Heritage Protection Group, and Advanced Safety Systems, maximized the retention of historic fabric. New systems were installed by Lumus Construction Inc. with minimal impact to existing finishes and visual appearance. A full upgrade of the fire detection system, a fire suppression system, emergency lighting, a new heating system with upgraded temperature and humidity controls and filtration, and an upgrade to the electrical system were completed in 2008. This project not only protects the house and guests from fire but also greatly extends the life of the collection with greater control of the indoor environment, adding yet another layer of building technology advances for future generations to study.

Mattapan Heights Phase III –
Building F

233 River Street

Owner/Developer:

Trinity Financial, Inc.

Architect:

Bergmeyer Associates

Contractor:

CWC Builders, Inc.

Planned and built by owners Trinity Financial, Inc., architectural firm Bergmeyer Associates, and CWC Builders this award-winning third phase of the Mattapan Heights development project continues the comprehensive redevelopment and adaptive re-use of the historic Boston Consumptive and Chronic Disease Hospital campus on River Street into seventy-three units of affordable housing. Twelve one and two bedroom units are in the rehabilitated Children's Ward, (Building F). The revitalization of this T-shaped structure is the final step in integrating the River Street neighborhood's past with the area's newest neighborhood, Mattapan Heights.

Building F was constructed in 1912 and converted for female patient use in 1930. It features Craftsman-style detailing and is finished in painted stucco and wood. When renovations began in 2006 it had been vacant for over twenty years and was in a state of disrepair and decay. The redevelopment preserved and restored historic components of the exterior façades such as the painted stucco, wood sash windows and wood trim. Replaced features were designed according to original construction documents, utilizing historic materials such as cedar clapboards, cedar trimming, stucco, and copper. The completion of the renovation and restoration of Building F is a milestone for reviving the history and sense of community in an often under-recognized Boston neighborhood.

Charlestown Navy Yard Visitor Center Building 5

Owner/Developer:

Boston National Historical Park

Architect:

Einhorn Yaffee Prescott, Architecture & Engineering, PC

Building five, a three-story brick building located adjacent to the current berth of the USS Constitution, was constructed between 1813 and 1815, soon after the establishment of the Charlestown Navy Yard. It is one of the oldest and most significant buildings in this historic Boston National Park site. The top two floors serve as barracks and offices for the US Navy crew members assigned to the Constitution. This project consisted of the renovation and conversion of the building's 8,500-square- foot first floor into a new visitor center that contains a National Park Service ranger station, a new theatre and presentation room, a museum store, public restrooms, and an exhibition on the history of the navy yard.

Prior to renovation and restoration the first floor was in poor condition. Boston National Historical Park and Einhorn Yaffee Prescott preserved the original structural envelope, created handicapped accessibility and provided essential new mechanical systems. It is a premier example of building renovation that respects the historic context while transforming it with new vitality and purpose. The USS Constitution has always been a major stop on the Freedom Trail and this project has enhanced the value of the location for all visitors.

Old State House Tower Restoration, Downtown

208 Washington Street

Owner/Developer:

The Boston Society

Architect:

Tellalian Associates Architects & Planners, LLC

General Contractor:

Lee Kennedy Co., Inc.

Historic Specialist:

Preservation Technology Associates, Inc.

Built in 1713, the Old State House is the oldest surviving public building in Boston and was the center of Boston's civic life throughout the eighteenth century. It is here that historical figures such as Samuel Adams, John Hancock and John Adams debated the future of the British Colonies. The Boston Massacre took place on its east steps, and in 1776 the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed from its balcony. As the site of such significant events it has become a prominent symbol of America's independence.

In the era of its construction, the State House tower was one of the highest points in Boston and was a grand spot to watch ships entering and leaving the harbor. But after nearly three hundred years of harsh New England winters it was in dire need of repair. During storms, water streamed in through rotted wood siding and seeped down to the lower floors. The workings of the still-functioning 1831 Simon Willard clock, the face of which is located between the lion and unicorn of the east façade, was threatened.

During the summer of 2008 The Bostonian Society, Tellalian Associates Architects, Lee Kennedy Co., and Preservation Technology Associates collaborated to under- stand and restore the structure. During the course of the work the Old State House Museum remained open to the public, as did the MBTA station beneath the building, adding greater complexity to the project. The construction team re-gilded the gold dome and original weather vane, repaired and re-glazed the windows, applied new copper roofing, repaired and replaced wood balusters and siding, and made the tower watertight. Restoring the tower to its original condition was a critical project in the broader project to keep the Old State House's its historical character intact.

Temple Israel Levi Auditorium, Fenway

477 Longwood Avenue

Owner/Developer:

Temple Isreal

Architect:

Leers Weinzapfel Associates, Joe Pryse, AIA, Principal

Construction Manager:

Shawmut Design & Construction

Located at the intersection of The Riverway and Longwood Avenue, Temple Israel sits at the portal to Boston, Brookline and the Longwood Medical Area, communities from which it draws much of its congregation. It was founded in 1854 by German members of Temple Ohabei Shalom and has resided in three different buildings in Boston, each time moving to accommodate a growing congregation. In 1928, the temple's commitment to both childhood and adult education was reinforced with the building of the classically designed Meeting House on The Riverway, which served as a classroom and auditorium building.

The building was enlarged in 1954 to add even more classrooms, and in 1974 the main sanctuary, a social hall, and an atrium designed by The Architects Collaborative were added, resulting in the auditorium becoming a seldom used space, due to the limitations of its fixed seating and sloped floor.

The collaboration of Leers Weinzapfel Associates, Shawmut Design and Construction, preservation consultant Carl Jay of Shawmut, and a small team of Temple members ensured the success of the project. The extensive renova-tion removed the fixed seating, leveled the raked floor, added a new entrance to the atrium, and restored the original materials and details of the room. Light fixtures and bronze grilles underwent restoration and original stone was reused whenever possible. Historic stained glass was retained, and the Meeting House lobby with its extensive Judaica in stone, bronze and wood, was restored. Handicap access was added throughout, modern building systems were added, and infrastructure improvements were made that meet modern codes and use requirements. This recent renovation serves as another example of Temple Israel's commitment to Boston's community.

Fort Point Channel Boston Landmark District Study Committee

A ten-member committee worked for eighteen months to study the Fort Point Channel Boston Landmark District before it was officially designated as Boston's ninth Landmark District in January 2009, following approval by the Boston Landmarks Commission, Mayor Menino and the Boston City Council. Encompassing roughly 55 acres and over 90 buildings, the remarkably intact late ninteenth and early twentieth century warehouse and manufacturing district is a remnant of Boston's rich industrial history. The Landmark District designation sets design guidelines that will protect key features of the area while permitting renovation and appropriately designed new development.

Over 29 working meetings, the Study Committee logged over 800 hundred collective person-hours. Their work resulted in a comprehensive document that will guide a future commission's review of development proposals for new projects. All meetings were open to the public and dozens of residents and property owners participated at meetings and by submitting written comments.

The study committee and the Boston Landmarks Commission staff managed an exceptional process, with an outcome that will ensure the protection of the most important resources in this historic neighborhood, while allowing for growth and change. The group's extremely deliberative and open process has resulted in design guidelines that will foster good preservation practices and new expression and contemporary design that is well-suited to the historic character of the District.