By Dan Murphy
The Beacon Hill Architectural Commission unanimously denied without prejudice an ambitious redevelopment project planned for the site at the intersection of Charles and Cambridge streets, which is now home to CVS Pharmacy, during the commission’s monthly public hearing held virtually on Thursday, Feb. 19.
The revised project proposes razing the existing-single story structure to make way for a five-story, mixed-use building, with a “stepped-back” sixth-floor penthouse to conceal the enclosed mechanicals, said Eric Robinson, principal and co-founder of Boston-based RODE Architects.
The side of the new building facing Cambridge Street would comprise a “very long cantilever” on the first five floors, said Robinson, and it will have a varied window configuration featuring larger bay windows, along with a “curved piano shape” on the first floor. The Charles Street side would in contrast have narrower windows, he said, arranged in a more linear fashion.
“I envision this as a fully brick, sculptural building,” said Robinson, adding that all of the windows would have a “setback window frame.”
The new building’s retail component, comprising one or two spaces, would be located mostly on Cambridge Street, he said.
Echoing comments made by William Young, a historic consultant on the project, Robinson said the project ultimately intends to “mend” that end of Charles Street, and to construct a “bold building befitting” of the site, which serves as the gateway not only to Beacon Hill but also to the City of Boston coming from Cambridge across the Longfellow Bridge into Charles Circle.
In an advisory review last March, the commission heard preliminary plans to replace the existing building at the intersection of Charles and Cambridge streets with a six-story, mixed-use building, including approximately 13 residential units.
The latest project iteration comes in response to comments raised by commissioners at that time, along with additional community feedback received, and both Chair Mark Kiefer and Commissioner Maurice Finegold commended the project team for making significant improvements to the proposed design.
Chair Kiefer instructed the applicant to “create a signage package that’s consistent on this building,” which would indicate locations and other instructions for future on-site signage.
Robinson responded: “We do want to manage the signage on this building for certain, and our client, Egeria, is lockstep with us on this.”
The Egeria Group, an Amsterdam-based capital management firm, also owns the adjacent 151 Charles St., as well as The Whitney Hotel, located directly across the street at 171 Charles St.
Chair Kiefer put forth a motion to deny this design review application without prejudice to allow the applicant time to “make further refinements to the design in keeping with commissioners’ comments from this evening”; it was unanimously supported by himself, Vice Chair Arian Allen, and Commissioners Finegold and Sandra Steele.
(Applications that have been denied without prejudice can return to the commission with some changes.)
Since a portion of the proposed building would still overhang the property line, the project would still also need a final approval from the city’s Public Improvements Commission as well, noted Chair Kiefer.
In another matter, the commission unanimously approved as submitted a design review application for the Charles Street Meeting House to modify a pair of out-swinging, three-paneled doors facing Charles Street.
The set of doors serve as the second point of egress for Tatte Bakery and Café, which is expanding its existing retail space in the Meeting House into two unoccupied, adjacent storefronts, as well as the sole point of egress for the other remaining retail tenant, Kodomo, a children’s clothing store, said Don Mills, the project architect.
The motion to approve this application as submitted, put forth by Chair Kiefer, came with several provisos, including that the final design reflect a “no protrusion” option presented at the hearing, and that the final design be submitted to staff (Nicholas Armata) for final approval.
The commission unanimously approved a design review application as submitted for proposed new signage comprising a wood sign with carved lettering for Willie’s, an incoming pizzeria to 20 Charles St., which will replace the recently closed Upper Crust pizza shop at that location.
Likewise, the commission unanimously approved a new blade sign and three new awnings emblazoned with the company logo for Sisley Paris Boutique’s incoming shop on Charles Street.
Sisley Paris Boutique, which sells luxury skin-care products and cosmetics, intends to open a retail store in a street-level retail space at 31-33 Charles St. last occupied by Benefit Cosmetics Boutique & Browbar “sometime in June,” said Jean-Raphaël Comte, manager in operations and financial development for the company, during the commission’s last monthly public hearing held virtually on Jan. 15.
Likewise, the commission unanimously approved as submitted a separate design review application for 31-33 Charles St. to repaint the corner building’s storefront portion on the first floor and ground level in jet black glossy.
In another matter, the commission unanimously approved a portion of a design review application for the installation of new vestibule lights and new mailboxes at 105, 107, and 109 Charles St., respectively, with a proviso that the color and lettering of the new mailboxes match those of the existing intercom systems as closely as possible.
The commission simultaneously denied without prejudice another portion of application that proposed relocating the HVAC equipment and leader lines at the rear elevation of 107 Charles St. to allow the applicant time to explore an option where all the lines are bundled together and left uncovered, as well as another option where the covering for the conduits is a darker color that more closely resembles the color of brick to better obscure it from sight.
The commission unanimously approved as submitted a design review application to replace the wall and blade signs at Blank Street, a coffee shop at 282 Cambridge St., to reflect the company’s new branding colors (i.e. from black to green), as well as to omit the word ‘coffee’ to reflect the new, amended company name. The same hardware will be reused in the installation of the new sign, said the applicant.
Per a design review application for 14 Beacon St., the commission unanimously approved as submitted the proposed replacement of nine severely deteriorated marble spandrel panels with matching cast stone.
“We have to do something this year for safety reasons,” said Scott Winkler, the project architect, adding that using real marble would entail a much-more costly and lengthy process.
Chair Kiefer noted the commission had previously approved design review applications in which cast stone was used to replace damaged or missing ornamental details, “though in those cases the original elements were usually made of brownstone.” He also mentioned that the panels in question are located high up, and that they are located some distance from the street.
The motion to approve this application came with a proviso that one new panel be constructed and inspected by staff; that staff can inspect any additional panels prior to installation; and that if staff isn’t entirely satisfied with the results for any reason, the matter can be sent back before the full commission for further deliberation.
The commission unanimously approved as submitted a design review application to install a new vent within the front-door vestibule at 43 Bowdoin St., with a proviso that shop drawings showing exact dimensions, as well as proposed materials and colors, be submitted to staff prior to installation.
The commission also unanimously approved a design review application to repaint the existing primary and secondary front entry doors and window shutters at 4–6 Lime St. The existing painted finish is black, according to the applicant, while the proposed new color is Amish Green (DHC 094).