American Ancestors

Back Bay

American Ancestors

Originally founded in 1845 as the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS), American Ancestors is a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to genealogical scholarship, historical and cultural programming, and the preservation of generational records.

The institution’s headquarters at 99–101 Newbury Street reflects both the architectural evolution of the Back Bay and the institution’s own growth over time. The site was created in the late 19th century as part of Boston’s newly filled Back Bay neighborhood, where rows of Victorian brownstone residences were constructed in the decades following 1860. In 1928, the original residential structures were replaced with a three-story Neo-Georgian building constructed for the New England Trust Company, designed by architects Ralph Coolidge Henry and Henry P. Richmond. American Ancestors acquired the Newbury Street property and relocated in 1964, and expanded the structure by adding five additional floors above the original bank building, creating the prominent eight-story research center.

Even with the five-floor addition, the move to Newbury Street provided significantly less space than their previous headquarters, just as the organization was growing its collections, library, and public programs. In 2012, American Ancestors purchased 97 Newbury Street as part of a larger effort named the “Cornerstone Project,” with the goal to create more public space, educational programming areas, and visitor experiences while seamlessly integrating the new building into its existing headquarters.

The design and construction of the American Ancestors Family Heritage Experience required navigating a complex set of architectural, structural, and regulatory challenges while maintaining sensitivity to the historic character of Boston’s Back Bay. The primary challenge for Schwartz/Silver Architects and Shawmut Design & Construction Company was the integration of the two buildings (one only 16 feet wide) which meant aligning floor levels constructed in different eras, accommodating modern accessibility and life safety requirements.

Today, the new building at 97 Newbury Street functions as a welcoming entrance that seamlessly connects to retail facades of the street; as well as visitor and education spaces, programming and lecture facilities, and public research and outreach areas.

Owner/Developer of Project
American Ancestors

Architect
Schwartz/Silver Architects

General Contractor
Shawmut Design & Construction Company

Structural Engineer
Thornton Tomasetti

Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, IT
Landmark Facilities Group

Civil Engineer
Nitsch Engineering

Landscape Architect
Kyle Zick Landscape Architecture

Code Consulting
Cosentini

Geotechnical Engineer
McPhail

Cost Estimating
FV Consulting

Lighting Design
Available Light

Acoustic/AV Design
Cavanaugh Tocci