The Beacon Hill Architectural Commission unanimously approved the installation of new directional signage for the Granary Burying Ground at the commission’s monthly public hearing held virtually on Thursday, July 18.
Kelly Thomas, director for the Boston Parks Department of the city’s 16 historic burying grounds, said besides the Granary Burying Ground’s main entrance on Tremont Street, a side entrance off Tremont Street was also created around 1990 at the request of the city’s Disabilities Commission. But unlike the main entrance, which has steps, the additional entrance is at grade level and has a wide gate, making it accessible to people in wheelchairs, she said.
The existing sign near the main entrance on Tremont Street to the
Granary Burying Ground.
The proposed new sign, which would direct park visitors to the secondary entrance, would be located to the right of an existing sign at the main entrance, said Thomas. (Signs like the existing one can be found at the entrances of all 16 of the city’s burying grounds, she said.) Both the existing sign and new sign would be made of black aluminum, measuring 18 inches wide and 24 inches tall. But unlike the existing sign, which is hexagonal and pointed at its edges, the new sign would be rectangular to help distinguish it from the other sign, added Thomas.
Chair Mark Kiefer made the motion to approve this application as proposed, which was supported by himself and all of the commissioners then on hand for the hearing, including Vice Chair Arian Allen and Commissioners Edward Fleck, Annette Given, Alice Richmond, and Sandra Steele.
In another matter, the commission heard an application to replace an existing, non-historic window divided into three parts in kind at the south elevation on Chestnut Street of a building located at 27 Chestnut St. This application was continued from the commission’s virtual public-hearing in May amid concerns from several commissioners in attendance, and to give the applicant time to explore alternatives.
Judith Selwyn, a representative for the applicant and noted expert in the conservation of historic building materials, proposed two new alternatives, although she underscored that the applicant had a strong preference for the first option.
Selwyn said Chelsea-based JB Sash & Door, the applicant’s preferred vendor, wouldn’t be able to render a window with true divided-light in its upper portions, as some commissioners had previously requested.
Chair Kiefer noted this is the only window of its kind on Beacon Hill but also said he still felt the applicant hadn’t “done sufficient homework” on adequately addressing the issue, since they hadn’t sought any other window vendors.
The commission voted by a majority to pass Chair Kiefer’s motion to approve the lower portion of the proposed new window while denying without prejudice the upper portion of the window to allow the applicant time to explore the feasibility of a true divided-light option. The matter would then be remanded to BHAC staff (Nicholas Armata) per a proviso for this motion.
Commissioner Richmond, who cast the sole vote against the motion, said she thought the applicant had done a “good job” of presenting alternatives as requested. She added she didn’t believe the applicant should be required to seek a new vendor to refabricate just the upper portion of the proposed window.
Regarding 40-42 Mount Vernon St., 3B, the commission voted unanimously to approve the application as proposed in a motion put forth by Vice Chair Arian Allen. The proposed work includes the replacement of several one-over-one windows with three one-over-one, wood, double-hung windows, as well as the replacement of two double-doors in kind. Vice Chair’s motion came with a proviso that no low-e glass is used in the window installation.
This application appeared on the agenda for the commission’s virtual June 20 hearing but was withdrawn by staff at that time.
In another matter, the commission voted unanimously to support a motion made by Chair Kiefer to deny without prejudice an application for a reconstructed, one-story, back garage at 55 Brimmer St., which is owned by the Park Street School. The proposed work includes the installation of a 5-foot-tall, rotating, black-steel hoist on the roofdeck, which would be used for ‘block and tackle’ experiments for science students, said the project’s architect, Don Mills, of Mills Whitaker.
The motion for this application came with a ‘friendly amendment,’ also made by Chair Kiefer, asking the applicant to reconsider the design in an effort to make it minimally visible from a public way.
Regarding an application for a new south-facing roofdeck at 54 Pinckney St., the commission voted by a majority to support Chair Kiefer’s motion deny the proposed work without prejudice and asked the applicant to return with alternatives with reduced visibility from a public way, particularly from Mount Vernon Street.
As a proviso, the applicant was also asked to return with a rendering showing a reduced roofdeck, with its westerly side moved about 5 feet to the east and its southernly side about 5 feet to the north.
Besides Chair Kiefer, Commissioners Richmond and Steele voted to support the motion while both Vice Chair Allen and Commissioner Steele abstained on this matter. Commissioner Fleck wasn’t present for the presentation of this application and subsequent didn’t vote on the motion.
The commission had previously denied without prejudice an application for the roofdeck at its May 16 virtual meeting; this determination came with a proviso that the applicant submit details to BHAC staff pertaining to the height of both the proposed railing and for the covering material for the deck, as well as specifics on the location of the deck, before returning.
According to the applicant, the design of the latest proposal reflected feedback from both the BHAC and the Beacon Hill Civic Association, including that the railing height was lowered to 36 inches from 42 inches before; that the “decorative railing design [was] simplified to square iron balusters”; that built-in planters alongside the railing were removed; that the lattice was removed; and that the roofdeck’s footprint was reduced while the distance from the rear façade to the edge of the deck has also been reduced to 12 inches from the previous 24 inches.
Meanwhile, another application to replace a chimney at 2 Chestnut St. was moved to administrative review, after the applicant opted to repair it instead.