The Beacon Hill Architectural Commission will hold a public hearing on February 19, at 5 p.m.
ZOOM: HTTPS://WWW.ZOOMGOV.COM/J/1612614872
Subject of the hearing will be applications for Certificates of Design Approval on the agenda below, reviews of architectural violations, and such businesses as may come before the commission, in accordance with Chapter 616 of the Acts of 1955 of the Massachusetts General Law as amended. Applications are available by request. Applicants or their representatives are required to attend, unless indicated otherwise below. Sign language interpreters are available upon request.
Attention: This hearing will only be held virtually and NOT in person. You can participate in this hearing by going to our Zoom Hearing or calling 1 (929) 205-6099 and entering meeting id # 161 2614 872 You can also submit written comments or questions to [email protected].
I. Ratification Of January 15, 2026 Public Hearing Minutes
II. Design Review Hearing
APP # 26.0478 BH 4 Lime Street
Applicant: Joshua Leffler
Proposed Work: repainting the existing primary and secondary front entry doors and window shutters at 4–6 Lime Street. The existing painted finish is black. The proposed new color is Amish Green (DHC 094).
APP # 26.0637 BH 70 Charles Street
Applicant: Elizabeth Colt; Meeting House Suites
Proposed Work: Recess central doors from retail shops vestibule to exterior at central facade.
APP # 26.0569 BH 43 Bowdoin Street
Applicant: Pamela Gonzalez; Charlesgate
Proposed Work: Install new vent within front door vestibule.
APP # 26.0606 BH 20 Charles Street
Applicant: Adam Knauer; SRP Sign Corporation
Proposed Work: New signage.
APP # 26.0600 BH 282 Cambridge Street
Applicant: Raymond Thill; Boston Sign Co. Inc.
Proposed Work: Replace existing wall and blade signs.
APP # 26.0615 BH 31-33 Charles Street
Applicant: Maria Karsanidi; Atmosphere Design
Proposed Work: New awning and blade sign.
APP # 26.0626 BH 31-33 Charles Street:
Applicant: Steve Young
Proposed Work: Paint of this corner building’s exterior-1st fl oor/ground level RA 9005 jet black glossy.
APP # 26.0618 BH 14 Beacon Street:
Applicant: Scott Winkler; Wessling Architects
Proposed Work: Replacement of severely deteriorated marble spandrel panels with matching cast stone (See Additional Items Under Administrative Review).
APP # 26.0638 BH 107 Charles Street:
Applicant: Patrick Mahoney
Proposed Work: New vestibule light, new mailbox, relocate HVAC equipment and leader lines.
APP # 26.0636 BH 155-159 Charles Street:
Applicant: Ruthie Kuhlman; RODE Architects
Proposed Work: Demolition of existing structure and construction of new five story mixed use building.
III. Administrative Review/Approval: In order to expedite the review process, the commission has delegated the approval of certain work items, such as those involving ordinary maintenance and repair, restoration or replacement, or which otherwise have a minimal impact on a building’s appearance, to commission staff pending ratification at its monthly public hearing. Having been identified as meeting these eligibility criteria and all applicable guidelines, the following applications will be approved at this hearing:
• Applicants whose projects are listed under this heading Need Not Appear at the hearing. Following the hearing, you will be issued a Determination Sheet to present at the Inspectional Services Department (1010 Massachusetts Avenue) as proof of project approval when applying for permits. ISD personnel will send an electronic copy of your building-permit application to the commission staff for review. (To avoid potential confusion, the text of your building-permit application should be consistent with the project description given below.) Commission staff will accordingly authorize the execution of the work, attaching any applicable provisos, refl ecting the relevant guidelines and precedents.
• Please Note That Following Issuance Of An Approval Letter By Email No Further Correspondence Will Be Issued For The Applications Listed Below. The electronic building-permit application as annotated by commission staff will constitute your Certificate of Appropriateness; this will be valid for two years from the date of the approval letter. The applicant is required to notify the commission of any project changes; failure to do so may affect the status of the approval. If you have any questions not addressed by the above information, please contact staff at 617.635.1935 or [email protected] Thank you.
APP # 26.0618 BH 14 BEACON STREET: Historic Facade Restoration at all exterior walls. Notable masonry work includes; in kind mortar joint repointing with matching mortar, brick masonry unit replacement with matching brick, stone masonry crack and spall repairs, rebuilding a select portion of the main roof chimney, and masonry cleaning. Repainting will take place at the North and South elevation cast iron balconies. Other miscellaneous work includes sealing exterior wall penetrations and installing lead “T” caps at various skyward facing masonry joints. All restoration work will be confirmed to match existing with mockups. New pointing mortar and repair mortar will be custom matched to existing. (See Additional Items Under Design Review).
APP # 26.0580 BH 36 Beacon Street: Remove and replace the wood columns, in kind with new wood columns to match. Repairs to existing bluestone where they sit, in kind, as necessary.
APP # 26.0579 BH 53 Garden Street: In kind fire escape repairs.
APP # 26.0622 BH 11 Joy Street: At front facade, floor three, replace four non-historic sash sets keeping the existing jambs, sills & brick moldings in existing masonry openings. Two windows are 4 over 4 and two are 6over 6. The replacement windows will be wood, true divided lights, with no low-e glass. Windows will be double hung, true divided light, glazed at the exterior & finish painted to match the existing color: semi-gloss black. Existing non-functioning aluminum storm windows to be removed.
APP # 26.0582 BH 19 Myrtle Street: Scrape, prime and paint the commercial store fronts and wrought iron fence in driveway off Joy Street in kind.
APP # 26.0616 BH 19 Myrtle Street: Increase the Scope of Work previously approved under APP#:23.1140 BH to include the Myrtle Street, Joy Street Elevations in addition to the Rear Elevation. Elevations in addition to the Rear Elevation. Replacement of existing aluminum windows and screens floors 3 through 8 with new aluminum windows and screens. Painted the previously approved color “Beacon Green.” Also included in the work is restoration of the masonry facades on Myrtle Street, Joy Street Elevations and partial Rear Elevation at back of driveway. Restoration includes cut and repoint masonry and stone joints, replace and rebuild damage brick, replace sealants, clean masonry. In field samples of all masonry treatments to be reviewed by assigned Landmarks Staff prior to proceeding with Work. Go over existing roof with 20-year warranty sheet membrane not visible from a public way.
APP # 26.0610 BH 145 Pinckney Street Unit 405: Install two condensers on the porch of the unit against the wall, below the rail line, in line with units previously approved on this building.
IV. Staff Updates
Projected Adjournment: 9:30 p.m.