By Dan Murphy
The city’s Environment Department issued a certificate of appropriateness on March 15 for the proposed residential redevelopment of the Hiriam J. Archer and Frank J. Donahue buildings at Temple and Derne streets.
Dedham-based JDMD Owner, LLC, plans to convert the two, interconnected buildings previously owned and occupied by Suffolk University into a 75-unit condominium complex, with 60 on-site, below-grade parking spaces.
The proposed scope of work includes redesigning the Temple Street, Ridgeway Lane and north façades on the Donahue addition; replacing the non-historic windows on the Archer building; removing mechanical louvers, service doors and brick infill at various altered openings on the Ridgeway Lane façade, removing recessed brick at the blind openings on the east façade of the Archer building and installing new historically accurate windows; creating new window openings on the Temple Street and Ridgeway Lane façades of the Archer building; removing doors at one opening on the Ridgeway Lane façade and installing louvers; replacing the infill at various entryways with new wood and glass doors and transoms on the Derne Street and Temple Street façades on the Archer building; creating a passageway with pavers and planters fronting Ridgeway Lane; removing the existing rooftop mechanical equipment and satellite dishes; and constructing a one-story setback rooftop addition with a roof deck on the main roof.
The Beacon Hill Architectural Commission voted to approve the request with the stipulation that the applicant return with a new application addressing several provisos, including that the profile of the Archer Building’s rooftop addition be reduced as much as possible; the main entrance to the Donahue addition be reconfigured with the possibility of adding a canopy; the window details be restudied; a final lighting plan be submitted, including plans for the Ridgeway Lane façade; and the shape, size, and material of the planters at the passageway be restudied, among other conditions.
The commission vote again on the matter after the applicant submits a revised proposal that addresses these concerns..