Boston's New and Pending Landmarks
Several new Landmarks have been designated in Boston. Even more are pending approval and awaiting community feedback and support. Below is a quick guide to help you discover and learn about Boston’s new and pending Landmarks. We will update this page as new Landmarks progress through the process. Pending Landmarks are below. Please show your support for these historic and uniquely-Boston buildings.
New Landmarks
The Industrial School for Girls
Address: 232 Centre Street, Dorchester, MA 02124
The Industrial School for Girls (built 1858-1859) is an early, rare, and important representation of the industrial school movement in Boston, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and perhaps in New England. The property is associated with the progressive reform movements of the 19th and early 20th centuries, which sought to address the inequities of industrialization, immigration, and urbanization through new models of education. It also vibrantly represents cultural ideals of middle-class domesticity and women’s roles in American society. In addition, the Industrial School for Girls is significant as an early example of 19th-century institutional architecture in the New England region. It is distinctive for its semi-rural, romantic character applied to mediate a distinctly urban social problem. The handsome design is notable for its clarity and simplicity. Its domestic scale and surviving historic setting are rare in buildings of this type. The building was designed by architect George Snell, whose work and practice were influential in the region during the second half of the 19th century.
Read More About The Industrial School For Girls
The Richardson Block
Address: 109 — 151 Pearl Street, Boston, Massachusetts
The Richardson Block is historically significant for its associations with the development of New England’s nationally prominent leather industry, which was headquartered in Boston. The Richardson Block is also architecturally significant as an extraordinary example of a unified architectural composition for an entire city block of commercial buildings; as a rare example of small-scale, Neo-Grec architecture; for its use of a marble façade on a mercantile building; and as the accomplishment of a nationally known architect, William G. Preston. It was one of the first blocks to be rebuilt after the Great Boston Fire.
Read More About The Richardson Block
The Ropewalk at Charlestown Navy Yard
Address: 155 Chelsea Street, Charlestown
The designation of the Ropewalk as a Local Landmark was initiated in 1988! It finally became a Local Landmark in 2024. The Ropewalk at the Charlestown Navy Yard is a unique historical resource. It is the single remaining masonry ropewalk in the United States and possibly the world. The Navy’s decision to build the ropewalk and to produce its own rope was a controversial one which was soon justified by the quality of the rope and the financial advantage of producing it on site.
In the early days of the Republic, a Navy was created to safeguard the growing shipping industry. Facilities were needed to build and maintain the fleet. Soon after the appointment of Benjamin Stoddart as the first Secretary of the Navy, Congress authorized funds in February 1799 for the construction of ships, and the Charlestown Navy Yard was born. It served as a major shipbuilding and repair facility from 1799 to 1973.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Building
Address: 133 Federal Street. Boston
The Blue Cross Blue Shield building was the first new building erected in the Central Business District since the 1920s and was one of the earliest buildings erected in Boston in the Brutalist style. It is one of three buildings in Boston designed by Paul Rudolph; it is especially notable as his first tall building and an early prototype of the idiosyncratic design philosophies that would influence the remainder of his impactful career. Its distinctive form with Y-shaped, precast-concrete piers and columns, large
white quartz aggregate, and an innovative engineering and HVAC system hidden within the nonstructural columns were all a direct challenge to the glass curtain wall and pushed the boundaries of contemporary architectural discourse. The building contributes to Boston’s collection of Brutalist architecture, which transformed the city in the 1960s and 1970s, and represents the
resulting shift in the design idiom of Boston and the United States from the International style to postmodernism.
Read More About The Blue Cross Blue Shield Building
The Hutchinson Building
Address: 29 Bromfield Street, Boston
The Hutchinson Building (1924) is a unique and mostly intact example of Classical Revival commercial architecture in the Central Business District of downtown Boston. It was built for noted Boston real estate broker, investor, and developer J. Murray Howe. The building was designed by prominent architect Ralph Harrington Doane, who had been educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and served as consulting architect for the government of the Philippines before opening his Boston office. Doane designed a number of buildings in the Greater Boston area, including Rindge Technical School in Cambridge and Motor Mart Garage in Park Square, for which he was awarded the Harleston Parker Medal by the Boston Society of Architects.
In addition to its significance as an example of Doane’s Classical Revival architecture, the Hutchinson Building is representative of the development and growth of the Central Business District in the years following the Great Boston Fire of 1872, which saw a surge in the construction of commercial buildings to accommodate the city’s thriving dry goods, shoe, and leather trades.
Read More About The Hutchinson Building
Pending Landmarks
Boston City Hall
Address: 1 City Hall Square, Boston
Boston City Hall is the headquarters for the municipal government of the City of Boston. The building represents the city’s commitment to democratic governance and civic engagement. Completed in 1968, the Brutalist building was designed by Kallmann McKinnell and Knowles in response to an open architectural competition initiated by the Boston Redevelopment Authority in 1961. At this time, the building served as the keystone for the city’s urban renewal efforts to create a “New Boston.”
The design was intended to foster transparency and accessibility to bring the government closer to the people. While popular opinion does not always look favorably on the building, Boston City Hall is architecturally significant as a bold example of Brutalist architecture in a period when steel and glass structures were becoming the standard. The massive concrete building presented a significant departure from the traditional brick and brownstone materials associated with Boston’s evolution, and its image has become an iconic part of the city’s cultural identity.
Read More About Boston City Hall
46 Beacon Street (Eben Jordan Jr. House)
The Eben Jordan Jr. House is significant as an important example of an in situ residential design by Wallace C. Sabine, founder of the field of architectural acoustics. The mansion has further significance at local and state levels for its association with Eben Jordan Jr. and several regionally important architects and designers and for its role as the first dedicated headquarters of the Women’s Republican Club of Massachusetts (WRC) following the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Prominent activists Harriet C. Hall and Anna Julia Child Bird founded the WRC as an explicitly interracial membership organization. It served as an important platform for women’s and African American civil rights advocates. Speakers included author and preservationist Clara Endicott Sears, former President Calvin Coolidge, George W. Goodman of the Urban League, and Matthew W. Bullock, an African American lawyer, politician, and human rights activist. The WRC also hosted social events open to the public, such as the recurring “officers dance” every Saturday during World War II. Those events attracted international stars who performed in the mansion, such as the Russian composer and conductor Igor Stravinsky and Adele Marcus, a leading pianist of the era.
Share your support to landmark the building here.
Read More About 46 Beacon Street
Calf Pasture Pumping Station
Address: 435 Mount Vernon Street, Dorchester
Located on Columbia Point in the Dorchester section of Boston, the Calf Pasture Pumping Station Complex consists of three buildings—the Pumping Station, Gate House/Filth Hoist, and West Shaft Entrance— all Romanesque Revival in style and constructed in 1883. The three buildings serviced a then-innovative public sewerage system and remained in continuous use for 85 years. The Calf Pasture Pumping Station Complex ceased active operations and has been vacant since the Deer Island Sewage Treatment Plant was built in 1968, on the north side of Boston Harbor.
Share your support to Landmark the building here.
Read More About The Calf Pasture Pumping Station
Recent
“Love is showing the important things that they matter.” A Landmark Love quote from the Frederick Middle School.
Update: February 29, 2024
The Boston Preservation Alliance has submitted a letter to the Wu Administration.
Each year the Boston Preservation Alliance presents the Preservation Achievement Awards to recognize a group of exemplary historic preservation projects or activities in Boston.
A Visual Guide to “Barbitecture” and Real-life Doll Houses
Written by: Sara Brown
Alliance Executive Director Alison Frazee received a call last night from Mike Firestone, the City’s Chief of Policy, informing her that the Landmarks Commission has been…
May is National Preservation Month which gives us a perfect excuse to show off our beloved historic city.
May is National Preservation Month which gives us a perfect excuse to show off our beloved historic city.
On behalf of the Boston Preservation Alliance and Boston’s preservation community, we would like to thank Councilor Kenzie Bok for her dedication to our city’s historic resources.
The Codman Award for lifetime achievement, named for John Codman who established Boston’s first historic district (Beacon Hill) in 1955, recognizes outstanding and career-long…
Thank you for helping us redefine preservation. Architecture is the surface of a city, but our history is deeper than a facade. It is the people, residents, and visitors that make Boston…
The leaves have been shaken off the trees, there is a chill in the air, and the sun sets just after 4 pm–that’s right, it’s nearly winter in New England and the gift-giving…
Written by Anan Shen. This is the first of a series of short stories about the West End.
As an advocacy organization for historic preservation, the Alliance often advocates to save historic buildings because of their stunning architecture or articulated streetscape.
Written and researched by Dan Bailey.
All photos by Dan Bailey and Matthew Dickey.
Stories about our neighborhoods are often told by adults for adults. But what landmarks and businesses define our neighborhoods through the eyes of the next generation?
Thousands and thousands of buildings line Boston’s streets. But one house is different from all the rest. It takes a bit of determination to find it.
Photos by Peter Vanderwarker.
A Weekend Photo Workshop with Peter Vanderwarker, Sept. 16-18
May is National Preservation Month which gives us a perfect excuse to show off our beloved historic city.
On May 1, 2022, Boston celebrated the 200th anniversary of incorporation as a city at the Old South Meeting House.
Valentine’s Day is approaching and that means only one thing—it’s time to dust off those markers and share some love (Heart Bombs) for old buildings! What are heart bombs?
In a little triangle just south of Andrew Station, Polish and American flags fly in pairs. The air wafts with the smell of freshly fried dough.
Our Most-Watched Advocacy Projects of 2021 Are Below, But First…
The Alliance relies on generous supporters like you to continue our work in promoting, preserving,…
The Alliance has been utilizing every opportunity to further our goals of historic preservation advocacy and telling the fuller story of Boston’s past. Below are a few of our 2021…
Thursday, December 2, 10:00-11:00 am.
The Boston Preservation Alliance is Boston’s primary, non-profit advocacy organization that protects and promotes the use of historic buildings and landscapes in all of Boston’s…
Turn on your favorite sea shanty and prepare for the water. The Young Advisors are bringing their annual Libations for Preservation event to the sea!
Written by Ava Yokanovich
Photos by Ava Yokanovich
Interview with Angela Ward Hyatt
Photos courtesy of Angela Ward Hyatt
Before and after photos below!
Memories from former South End residents Judith Nee and Isabel O’Hara
Images from Neil Kadey and Judith Nee
Written by Judith Nee and Ava Yokanovich
Written by Mackenzie Barrall and Corinne Muller. Photos by Matthew Dickey.
Originally published July 2020. Updated July 2021.
The Alliance works closely with the Boston Landmarks Commission (BLC), which resides within the Environment Department at the City, to further preservation efforts in Boston.
Written by Mackenzie Barrall
Photos by Ava Yokanovich
Written by Ava Yokanovich
Images taken by Ava Yokanovich along the Southwest Corridor Path near Titus Sparrow Park
Since 1988, the National Trust has used its list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places…
Since 1988, the National Trust has used its list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places…
Since 1988, the National Trust has used its list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places…
Written by Jeanne Pelletier, Preservation Advisor to the Campaign for the Ayer Mansion, Inc.
There are untold stories in Boston being lost and we need your help to save them.
Save-The-Date
When: March 25
Time: 6 pm via Zoom
Featuring: Brent Leggs
This event is generously supported by the Nolan-Miller Fund
Corita Kent (1918–1986)
Artist, Educator, Advocate for Social Justice
Written by: Vicki Adjami
When: March 4
Time: 10 AM
Where: On Zoom
How: Register below to receive a zoom link
The Boston Preservation Alliance and the Young Advisors present:
Preservation Chatter 2020
Thursday, November 19
6 — 7 PM
David Rodrigues is the Manager of Facilities and Preservation at
Preservation takes many forms and requires many hands.
Boston Preservation Alliance stands united with the voices decrying the murder of George Floyd and the long-standing history of racism this tragedy demonstrates.
The Boston Preservation Alliance offers internships to graduate and undergraduate students to help train the next generation of preservationists by providing hands-on experience in…
Let’s come together to create a wave of generosity for the organizations that help Boston thrive.
Have a preservation question? Want to hear updates about any of the preservation projects we’re monitoring?
An Environment Notification Form (ENF) has been filed with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Office.
May is National Preservation Month which gives us a perfect excuse to show off our beloved historic city.
Written by Alison Frazee, Assistant Director, Boston Preservation Alliance.
…Join us for our Annual Meeting of Members
When: Postponed. New date is TBD
In light of concerns with COVID-19, we have postponed several of our upcoming events.
Is there a preservationist in your life? Or maybe you love architecture, history, and unique Boston stories as much as we do. If either of these is the case, then this is THE gift guide…
With the proposed redevelopment of the Hurley Building, we thought this is a good time…
Preservation advocates are imploring Massachusetts General Hospital to reconfigure its expansion plans to avoid demolition of three historic West End buildings, reports Dan Murphy of the…
By Isabella Labbe
August 6, 2019. Updated March 2023.
The Boston Preservation Alliance Board of Young Advisors presents:
Libations for Preservation
When:
Wednesday, July 24, 2019…
Karen McFeaters is a Boston-based painter whose work features locations around the city that highlight…
Roger Webb was the founder of the Architectural Heritage Foundation and…
Save the date for Beer + Mortar, a walking tour through Dorchester and Roxbury led by Matthew Dickey of the Alliance and HBI.…
The City of Boston invites you to a Community Meeting on the Northern Ave Bridge
Monday, June 3, 2019
Neighborhoods are living things. They evolve to the changing needs of their inhabitants. Rural farms become streetcar suburbs. Carriage lanes become roads. Thriving businesses fade.
In partnership with Massachusetts Historical Society and Fenway Alliance.
The state gets a $98M cut of GE’s sale of its property in Fort Point. Where should that money go?
May is National Preservation Month which gives us a perfect excuse to show off our beloved historic city.
Advocacy needed to OPPOSE a rule change to undercut the National Register of Historic Places
Please join us for our Annual Meeting | Registration is closed, but walk-ins welcome!
Boston Design Week Event
Boston Design Week March 27-April 7 2019
The Alliance’s Young Advisor’s Board is seeking new board members for 2019!
The Boston Preservation Alliance is now accepting nominations for our 2019 Preservation Achievement Awards!
The closing of Durgin Park (1827) following upon Jacob Wirth (1868) last year reminds us that Boston’s unique character comes from more than just architecture.
“An icon of the Boston skyline was very nearly protected against the city’s current rapacious development culture- but then the mayor stepped in.”
“An icon of the Boston skyline was very nearly protected against the city’s current rapacious development culture- but then the mayor stepped in.”
Mayor Walsh, Citgo, Related Beal (the developer of the site), and Boston University release a statement:
Mayor Walsh, Citgo, Related Beal (the developer of the site), and Boston University release a statement:
The City of Boston invites you to a
Community Meeting on the Northern Ave Bridge
The Young Advisors is a board of developing professionals whose role is to expand and amplify the Alliance’s mission of protecting places, promoting vibrancy, and preserving character.
On Monday, October 22, the Boston Preservation Alliance hosted the 2018…
Opening Remarks: Chris Scoville, Board Chair
Preservation Achievement Awards and 40 30 10 Celebration
To celebrate our 40th Anniversary year, the Alliance launched a special social media campaign: The Preservation Bucket List photo competition.
This year marks the 40th Anniversary of the Alliance, the 30th Anniversary of the Awards, and the 10th Anniversary of our Young Advisors Board.
Join the Alliance Young Advisors for a stroll through Mount Auburn Cemetery, the oldest rural cemetery in the US.
The debate over the future of the Citgo sign is still quietly grinding on.
The debate over the future of the Citgo sign is still quietly grinding on.
Boston has an estimated $20 million in annual funds to support capital projects in historic preservation, affordable housing, and parks and green spaces.
Developer Related Beal on Tuesday went before the Boston Civic Design Commission to submit its updated plans to redevelop buildings on Commonwealth Avenue near Deerfield Street.
Developer Related Beal on Tuesday went before the Boston Civic Design Commission to submit its updated plans to redevelop buildings on Commonwealth Avenue near Deerfield Street.
Developer Related Beal on Tuesday went before the Boston Civic Design Commission to submit its updated plans to redevelop buildings on Commonwealth Avenue near Deerfield Street.
Boston’s urban planners and placemakers have an opportunity to make the Northern Avenue Bridge, now a rusting relic in Fort Point Channel, a postcard-worthy destination that draws…
It has been nearly four years since anyone could walk across the old Northern Avenue Bridge, and two decades since you could drive across it.
The Boston Preservation Alliance was included in a 2018 national report regarding best practices for public outreach and education to build a knowledgeable, engaged, and activated…
As neighborhoods change over generations, it’s important that touchpoints to their past both remain in place and sensitively evolve to maintain their relevance.
As neighborhoods change over generations, it’s important that touchpoints to their past both remain in place and sensitively evolve to maintain their relevance.
As neighborhoods change over generations, it’s important that touchpoints to their past both remain in place and sensitively evolve to maintain their relevance.
As neighborhoods change over generations, it’s important that touchpoints to their past both remain in place and sensitively evolve to maintain their relevance.
As neighborhoods change over generations, it’s important that touchpoints to their past both remain in place and sensitively evolve to maintain their relevance.
As neighborhoods change over generations, it’s important that touchpoints to their past both remain in place and sensitively evolve to maintain their relevance.
Boston was once home to 31 breweries, enough to bestow this storied city with the title of “most breweries per capita.” A majority of the city’s breweries are clustered around…
The Boston Preservation Alliance offers internships to graduate and undergraduate students to help train the next generation of preservationists by providing hands-on experience in the…
Boston City Council voted on Thursday, June 21, to approve the first batch of Boston Community Preservation funding requests.
Boston City Council voted on Thursday, June 21, to approve the first batch of Boston Community Preservation funding requests.
You’re invited to a special preview for Alliance and Boston By Foot members. The Ladder Blocks Walking Tour will take place on Sunday, May 20, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Boston has a wonderful mix of historic buildings and sites, from stately row houses to 3-deckers, churches to commercial blocks.
The Young Advisors of the Boston Preservation Alliance are hosting a PechaKucha night on Tuesday, May 15 at The Algonquin Club of Boston.
The Alliance had an impressive showing at Preservation Massachusetts’s 30th Annual Paul & Niki Tsongas Awards Dinner held on May 9 at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston.
May is Preservation Month. To mark the occasion, Boston Architecture Diary tapped Greg Galer to share recommendations for preservation events happening around the city.
Alliance Executive Director Greg Galer was a moderator for “Preserving Affordability, Affording Preservation,” an April 27th conference hosted by Historic New England.
The Boston Preservation Alliance is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Scoville as a new Board Chairman and the election of Sean Geary to the Board of Directors.
The Boston Preservation Alliance is hosting its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, March 21 at historic Old South Church at Copley Square.
From old fire departments to post offices that succumbed to the demise of snail mail, buildings across the country have fallen prey to shifting markets and the rise of technology.