Boston Landmarks Commission

The Boston Landmarks Commission (BLC) is the Boston agency charged with administering and educating the public on the city's preservation law. The commission was created in 1975.

The Housing Act of 1949, part of President Harry Truman's Fair Deal, started urban renewal in the United States. In Boston, 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 landmark 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 properties listed as individual Landmarks or located within Boston’s local historic districts.

The chief responsibilities of the Landmark Commission include identifying historic buildings and places by compiling survey forms on individual buildings and places, protecting and recognizing historic properties through designation, and preserving designated Landmarks through design review. The BLC also administers Article 85 Demolition Delay for buildings in Boston. When a building 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 discussion about the building with the developer and explore alternatives to demolition.

The Commission meets twice a month on second and fourth Tuesdays - Design Review is prior to the fourth Tuesday hearings. Applicants that propose changes to a Landmark present present their projects and the public is invited to comment.

...
Wikipedia