Preservation Achievement Awards

90 Smith Street – Basilica Court

Neighborhood Preservation

Owner/Developer:

Mission Associates II, LLC /
Weston Associates, Inc.

Project Team:

Spalding Tougias Architects, Inc.
David Berarducci Landscape Architecture
Bond Brothers, Inc.
Chapman Waterproofing, Inc.
John F. Shea Co., Inc.
E.R. Lewin, Inc.
A & J Window Co., Inc.
Howard/Stein-Hudson
Nitsch Engineering

An integral part of the Mission Hill neighborhood, the former Mission Church complex was constructed in phases between 1876 and 1901. Originally comprised of six buildings, two annexes, a boiler house, and a courtyard, the complex was designated as a Boston Landmark in 2004 and is also listed on the State Register of Historic Places. The Mission School (90 Smith Street) was constructed in 1889 of Roxbury puddingstone and red brick in the Queen Anne/Georgian Revival style.

Underutilized for decades, Weston Associates purchased the Mission School from the Redemptorist Fathers in 2003 as the first step in the redevelopment of the complex's lower campus. Through meticulous restoration, the historic integrity of the school has been maintained. Exterior work included masonry restoration, and the replacement of the building's windows, roof, doors, copper gutters and downspouts to match the historic character of the structure. Masonry piers and iron fencing around the site were also restored. Materials salvaged from demolition of the boiler house were reused in paved areas and used to form seating at the entrances of the building.

Atlantic Wharf

Integration of Preservation and
New Construction

Owner/Developer:

Boston Properties

Project Team:

CBT Architects
Cavanaugh Tocci
Gordon Smith Corporation
Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.
Hughes Associates, Inc.
John Moriarty & Associates, Inc.
Haley & Aldrich Inc.
Building Conservation Associates
Halvorson Design Partnership
LAM Partners Inc.
Childs Engineering
TMP Consulting Engineers
Roll Barresi & Associates
McNamara / Salvia, Inc.
Vanderweil
Lerch Bates
MacRostie Historic Advisors
Howard/Stein-Hudson

Situated at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Congress Street, three buildings — the Russia Building (designed by Peabody and Stearns), the Graphic Arts and the Tufts Buildings — served as a hub of mercantile trade. These monumental buildings, characterized by cast-iron storefronts, large shop front windows and decorative lanterns, eventually fell into a state of near-unsalvageable disrepair.

The new Atlantic Wharf has incorporated the façades and other important architectural elements of these historic buildings into a modern, thirty-one-story skyscraper, which contains offices, residential units, and retail space. The new structure features original storefronts, complete with limestone and cast iron. The exterior has been completely refurbished, including the repair of crumbling brick and rebuilding neglected lanterns. Nelson Court, a passageway connecting the Russia and Graphic Arts Buildings, is now a glass atrium that serves as an entryway into the skyscraper.

Boston Renaissance Charter Public School

Rehabilitation of a Historic Industrial Space

Owner/Developer:

Boston Renaissance Charter Public School

Project Team:

HMFH Architects, Inc.
Daedalus Projects, Inc.
Boston Redevelopment Authority
Suffolk Construction
Lim Consultants, Inc.
Garcia Galuska DeSousa Consulting Engineers, Inc.
Nitsch Engineering, Inc.
Cavanaugh Tocci Associates, Inc.
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger
Halvorson Design Partnership, Inc.

Built between 1889 and 1923, the school, located at 1415 Hyde Park Avenue once housed the assembly line for the American Tool & Manufacturing Company. Revitalizing the nineteenth century industrial site, the Boston Renaissance Charter Public School is one of the first restoration projects in the historically significant Readville Industrial Area. Many historically significant elements of the old mill building were incorporated into the design of the school, including original masonry, columns, and heavy timber floors. Additionally, key trademark features such as the original American Tool & Manufacturing sign, Boston red brick façade, and original clerestory windows were preserved as a reminder of the building's industrial roots.

The Boston Renaissance Charter Public School is the largest public elementary school in Boston, educating 885 of the city's most underserved students in grades K-6. Formerly housed in a multi-story high rise in a business district, the school lacked outdoor play space and students lost classroom time to its inefficient layout. The school now includes ample outdoor space and interior space more befitting to the needs of its students. The large rooms within the warehouse building provide compatible space for the gymnasium, cafeteria, library, and art rooms.

Brewer Fountain

Rehabilitation by a Public Agency

Owner of Fountain:

City of Boston

Owner of Property:

Boston Parks and Recreation

Project Team:

Friends of the Public Garden
Lawrence and Lillian Solomon Fund
Carr, Lynch, and Sandell, Inc.
Sculpture & Decorative Arts Conservation
Fleming Bros., Inc.
Daedalus Inc.

Installed on the Boston Common in 1868, the Brewer Fountain is the oldest public sculpture in the park. Purchased by Boston merchant Gardner Brewer, the fountain was one of two bronze castings from the original fountain on display at the Paris Exposition of 1867. Situated at the intersection of Park Street, Tremont Street, it is one of the most significant pieces of public art in all of the parks in Boston and the fountain was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and became a National Historic Landmark in 1987.

Addressing prolonged deterioration of the fountain, restoration efforts focused on repair and stabilization, the modernization of fountain systems, and the establishment of a long-term maintenance program. The restoration process involved state of the art bronze cleaning, recasting, remounting, and restoration, as well as cleaning of granite and other stone elements. The fountain's infrastructure was also upgraded, and the supporting masonry repaired.

Fan Pier Public Green

New Parkland Added to Boston's Open Space

Owner:

The Fallon Company

Project Team:

Richard Burck Associates
Turner Construction
Roome & Guarracino, LLC
LAM Partners, Inc.
Nitsch Engineering, Inc.
Pine and Swallow Environmental
TMP Consulting Engineers, Inc.
Irrigation Management and Services

Fan Pier, named for its fan-like curve outward into the harbor, was created in the 1860s, derived from plans for improvements to Boston Harbor. An integral part of South Boston's shipping infrastructure, several railroad lines ended at the edge of the Pier, which facilitated the transportation of goods from land to sea for many decades. However, over time, new port facilities would eventually render Fan Pier obsolete and the area fell into disuse.

In recent years, The Fallon Company has worked to transform Fan Pier into one of the most vibrant neighborhoods along the waterfront. Where an unsightly parking lot once stood, the Fan Pier Public Green has been established. An expansive lawn sitting amidst the Pier's modern hotels, residences and office buildings, the park was designed as a "urban theater," connecting the water to the city with lush grass, diverse flora, and an open view of the marina for pedestrians, athletes, and loungers alike.

Georges Island Visitor Center

Rehabilitation/Restoration Preserving
Boston's Architectural Heritage

Owner/Developer:

Massachusetts Department of Conservation
& Recreation

Project Team:

McGinley Kalsow & Associates, Inc.
Boston Harbor Island Alliance
MacLeod Consulting, Inc.
   (Structural Engineer)
MacRitchie Engineering, Inc.
   (MEP, Fire Protection Engineer)
Nitsch Engineering (Civil Engineer)
Cavanaugh Tocci Associates, Inc.
   (Acoustical Engineers)
TRC (Environmental Engineers)
Brown, Richardson & Rowe, Inc.
Ripman Lighting Consultants
Design Division, Inc.
lightTHIS
Mystic Scenic Studios
NEI General Contracting
Jasper White’s Summer Shack
Phoenix Bay State Construction
Podgursku Corp.
Rare Find Contracting
Tim’s Fabricators, Inc.
GD Painting, Inc.
Patrick J. Kennedy & Sons
Brite Lite Electrical
Beacon Architectural Associates
Cape Building Systems, Inc
Campbell Construction Group

The main feature of Georges Island is Fort Warren, a National Historic Landmark. Fort Warren defended Boston Harbor, from its construction between 1833 and 1869, until the end of WWII, eventually being decommissioned in the 1950s. Fort Warren served as a center of protective mining of the harbor and mines were maintained at the Mine Storage Building at the head of the pier. Beginning in the fall of 2009, the former Mine Storage Building was renovated and adapted as the Island's new Visitor Center. Focusing on the Island's military role in protecting Boston Harbor over the last 300 years, the new complex contains an interpretive museum of the island's history as a military installation in Boston Harbor.

In addition to the renovation of the Mine Storage Building, a new Shade Shelter was constructed on the foundation of the former Cable Tank Building, adjacent to the Visitor Center. The landscape around both structures was designed using historically-related materials, as well as benches and interpretive signage to help visitors understand the relationship between the Visitor Center, Fort Warren, and the island itself. Funded through a public/private partnership between DCR and the Boston Harbor Island Alliance, both parties involved hope that this public/private partnership will be seen as a successful example of the preservation of recreational and cultural resources.

Jamaica Plain Civil War Monument

Maintenance of a Historic Neighborhood Landmark

Owner of Monument:

City of Boston

Owner of Property:

Boston Parks and Recreation

Artist:

W. W. Lummis (1871)

Project Team:

Daedalus, Inc.
Edward Ingersoll Browne Fund
Jamaica Pond Association

Designed by artist W.W. Lumis and erected in 1871, the Jamaica Plain Civil War Monument stands as a memorial, both to Civil War heroes and to fatally wounded Union soldiers from West Roxbury and "is one of the earliest large scale Civil War monuments in the city." Designed in the Gothic revival style, the monument features a four-sided marble tablet, sheltered by a vaulted arch. Atop the structure stands the figure of an anonymous solider bowing his head and resting on his rifle.

In 2010, the City undertook an extensive conservation effort, spearheaded by Daedalus, Inc. Decades of dirt, grime, and staining were removed through the careful cleaning of the granite and marble surfaces. Lead and mortar joints were repointed, and bronze finials were also cleaned and buffed.

Metropolitan Waterworks Museum

Rehabilitation of a Historic Industrial Space

Owner:

Metropolitan Waterworks Museum

Developer:

E.A. Fish Development

Project Team:

Gund Partnership
Building Conservation Associates, Inc.
Jeff Kennedy Associates, Inc.
Northern Light Productions
Schweppe Lighting Design, Incorporated
Mystic Scenic Studios, Inc.
Kaplan Corporation
Mercier Electric Co., Inc.
Children's Environments
Horizons Design
Jan Crocker Museum Associates
Scott Hull Associates
Boston Productions, Inc.

Built in 1888, the Chestnut Hill Waterworks High Service Pumping Station was designed by Arthur Vinal in the popular Richardsonian Romanesque style. Ten years later, a significant extension was added, designed by architect Edmund Wheelwright. The building contained three massive steam engines, which pumped water to homes and businesses in Boston located at higher elevations, and illustrated the technological feats of Boston's Golden Age. The site operated for nearly a century and contributed greatly to the development of Metropolitan Boston.

In the 1970s, the Chestnut Hill Waterworks was taken offline. Used largely for storage by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA), the site eventually fell into disrepair. However, in 1989 the site received a Boston Landmark designation and became a National Register District in 1990. Building on this momentum, advocates for reuse of the site formed Friends of the Waterworks, Inc. and developed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the MWRA for future preservation and redevelopment of the site.

In 2005, the Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) worked with E.A. Fish to restore and conserve the historic High Service Pumping station along with its Leavitt, Worthington and Allis steam engines. In the spring of 2011, the Metropolitan Waterworks Museum opened. Telling the story of one of the nation's first metropolitan water systems, the museum highlights the role that water plays in public health, engineering, architecture, and social history.

Modern Theatre

Integration of Preservation and
New Construction

Owner/Developer:

Suffolk University

Project Team:

CBT Architects
Suffolk Construction
Preservation Technology Associates
Martin Vinik Planning for the Arts, LLC
McNamara/Salvia
Zade Associates, LLC
Structures North Consulting Engineers, Inc.
Nitsch Engineering

Designed in 1876 by Levi Newcomb and built in the High Victorian Gothic style, the building that would become the Modern Theatre originally housed a carpet warehouse. In 1913, architect Clarence Blackall added a marble façade and converted the building into a movie theatre, which, in 1920, became the first in Boston to show "talkie" films. Over the next several decades the Modern evolved, and its stage became home to popular musical and theatrical performances before eventually closing its doors in 1981. Decades later, thanks to the extensive renovations by Suffolk University, it has been reborn for a new generation.

With meticulous attention to detail, the project team preserved the original façade from the theatre. Each marble and sandstone block was numbered and restored before being carefully reassembled. Inside, a state-of-the-art auditorium was constructed, echoing traces of the old building. Narrow walls, neoclassical "movie palace" styling, and painted wall treatments by artist John Lee Beatty that are reminiscent of the original theatre's murals. In addition to the auditorium, the renovated building also contains ten stories of dormitory space for 197 students.

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

New Construction in Harmony
With Boston's Built Environment

Owner/Developer:

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Project Team:

Foster + Partners
CBT Architects
Gustafson, Guthrie, Nichol
John Moriarty & Associates
Weidlinger Associates, Inc.
Shooshanion Engineering, Inc.
Nitsch Engineering
Howard/Stein-Hudson
Acentech
Roll Barresi & Associates

The Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) has a rich history that dates back to 1876, when the original building first opened its doors in Copley Square. The museum moved to its current location, the Beaux Arts building on Huntington Avenue, in 1909. Designed in the neoclassical style by native Bostonian Guy Lowell, the majestic structure houses one of the most impressive art collections in the world. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, the MFA has constructed several expansions to the original building in order to accommodate the museum's growing collection.

The recent construction at the MFA is extensive, but upholds the integrity of Guy Lowell's architecture. The addition is made from glass and the traditional Deer Isle granite of the original exterior. The new construction yielded a courtyard, a special exhibitions gallery, and a visitor center. The Art of the Americas Wing, however, is the crown jewel of the expansion, boasting over fifty new galleries, plus classrooms, offices, and an auditorium. While built in a contemporary style, the new building takes cues from the historic structure relating to it elegantly, while not mimicking its style.

Tiffany Stained Glass Window Restoration,
Theodore Parker Church

Rehabilitation/Restoration
Of a Religious Property

Owner/Developer:

Theodore Parker Church

Project Team:

Studio Restorations, Inc.
Julie L. Sloan LLC Consultants in Stained Glass
Donham & Sweeney Architects
Folan Waterproofing & Construction, Inc.

Built in 1900 by Henry Seaver, the Theodore Parker Unitarian Universalist Church stands as an icon in the center of West Roxbury. While the building itself is historic, the church also houses seven Louis Comfort Tiffany windows, which represent all major periods of Tiffany's designs and workmanship. Expressly designed for the church by Agnes Northrup, the Landscape Triptych and its two flanking jewel medallion windows "represent the finest level of work produced by the Tiffany Studios," according to art historian Virginia Raguin.

Over time, fatigue cracks in soldered joints and severe bowing put the windows in danger of collapse. In order to prevent water infiltration, mortar and capstone repair was needed, along with replacement of exterior protective glazing. Recognizing the importance of preserving these priceless windows, as well as the church as a whole, the 90-member congregation has raised almost half a million dollars towards restoration efforts, including grants from the George B. Henderson Foundation and Massachusetts Historical Commission.

Watermill Lofts
The Lofts at Lower Mills

Rehabilitation of a Historic Industrial Space

Owner/Developer:

Winn Development

Project Team:

The Architectural Team, Inc.
Keith Construction
Odeh Engineers, Inc.
Nitsch Engineering
GD Consulting Engineers
Sam Zax Associates
Barsch & Radner Design, Inc. (now Radner Design Associates)
Epsilon Associates
Geotechnical Consultants, Inc.

The Watermill Lofts is the final phase of the redevelopment of the 14-acre Baker Chocolate Factory complex in the Lower Mills section of Dorchester. After Baker's operations moved to Dover, Delaware in 1965, the complex was left vacant. However, in the 1980s the buildings were listed on the National Historic Register of Historic Places and redevelopment efforts commenced.

A residential building containing seventeen luxury loft units, The Watermill Lofts was constructed in the factory's former boiler building. Historic exteriors were preserved during the conversion and several challenges were addressed, including adding floors to align with existing mullions, and replacing windows in compliance with National Park Service guidelines. The completion of The Watermill Lofts culminates the three-phase rehabilitation project of the Baker complex, resulting in a 318-unit mixed-income development. The once deteriorating historic area has now become a lively revitalized community of families, artists, and seniors.