Reader Expresses Concern With Proposed 155-159 Charles St. Project
To the Editor,
The proposed development at 155-159 Charles Street, where the CVS is now, would undermine the architectural harmony of Beacon Hill.
This design is responsible for the inappropriate massing standing in stark contrast to the neighborhood’s current style, and I am particularly troubled by its size and design.
The Beacon Hill Architectural Commission’s own guidelines state that contemporary design may be considered only when it is “compatible with the size, scale, color, materials, and character of neighboring buildings.”
This proposal fails that test. With a floor area ratio nearly double that of the Whitney Hotel, it is not the proportional gateway building the developer claims and markets.
The proposed roof deck, elevator, and mechanicals are equally problematic. As proposed, the top of this building would protrude far above the neighboring buildings and what has been allowed historically.
The site occupies one of the most visible corners in the city, in full view of the Longfellow Bridge and beyond. It would be an architecturally excessive modern eyesore on an otherwise charming street.
I would encourage caution when considering modernist designs that could leave a lasting and negative impact on Beacon Hill’s historic landscape. For that reason, I call upon the Beacon Hill Architectural Commission to deny a Certificate of Appropriateness for the proposed mixed-use development at 155-159 Charles Street.
Save our beautiful and historic neighborhood from this plight of ugliness.
In Preservation,
Andrew Henson