The Beacon Hill Architectural Commission will hold a public hearing on July 16 at 5 p.m.
ZOOM: HTTPS://WWW.ZOOMGOV.COM/J/1653776203
Subject of the hearing will be applications for Certifi cates 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 Link or calling 1 646-828-7666 and entering meeting id # 165 377 6203. You can also submit written comments or questions to [email protected].
I. Ratification Of June 18, 2026 Public Hearing Minutes
II. Design Review Hearing
APP # 26.1037 BH 33 Charles Street
Applicant: Michael Cohen; Signs by J, Inc.
Proposed Work: New signage
APP # 26.1079 BH 53 Chestnut Street
Applicant: George Howland; Howland Co. Inc.
Proposed Work: Restore Decorative Wrought Iron Rail at Garden, Wrought Iron Hand Rails at Front Entry, and Wrought Iron Window Grate at Garden. Convert the existing wrought iron doors at windows to be stationary grates and remove highlighted curved detailing so that the grates are fl at on the top
APP # 26.1080 BH 53 Chestnut Street
Applicant: George Howland; Howland Co. Inc.
Proposed Work: New light fi xture
APP # 26.1088 BH 64 Chestnut Street
Applicant: Nick Downing
Proposed Work: Repaint shutters (currently black) on front facade of the house to BM Old Navy (to match front door)
APP # 26.0952 BH 59 Beacon Street
Applicant: Paul Holland; The Holland Companies
Proposed Work: Repaint front door, install new mail slot and door hardware
APP # 26.1142 BH 18 Phillips Street
Applicant: Laura Mandel; Vilna Shul
Proposed Work: Install temporary Boston250 placards in multiple locations throughout the district
APP # 26.1143 BH 18 Phillips Street
Applicant: Laura Mandel; Vilna Shul
Proposed Work: Install temporary placards in multiple locations in the district
APP # 26.1127 BH 107 Charles Street
Applicant: Patrick Mahoney
Proposed Work: Install covers over HVAC lines at rear of property
APP # 26.1128 BH 109 Charles Street
Applicant: Patrick Mahoney
Proposed Work: At rear of the property, install HVAC screening
APP # 26.1138 BH 131 Cambridge Street
Applicant: Shawn Willett; Spencer Preservation
Proposed Work: Reconstruction of the failed historic concrete retaining wall, selective repair of a modern concrete wall, and reassembly of shifted, historic granite steps upon a new foundation. Install a modest, detachable handrail extension
III. Advisory Review
APP # 26.0952 BH 37, 39-41 Bowdoin Street
Applicant: Adam Block; 37, 39-41 Bowdoin Street
Proposed Work: Replace all windows at property
APP # 26.0952 BH 32 West Cedar Street
Applicant: Tim Burke; Timothy Burke Arch. Inc
Proposed Work: New garage door in rear wall
IV. Annual Vote For Chair / Vice Chair
V. 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 ratifi cation at its monthly public hearing. Having been identifi ed 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 Certifi cate 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 # 26.1058 BH 23 Brimmer Street: Re-constructed roof deck in previous location. The roof had been previously replaced and the old deck removed
APP # 26.1072 BH 33 Brimmer Street: At rear of the property, level one, replace non-historic, existing french doors, stationary lites and transoms
APP # 26.1137 BH 109 Charles Street: Remove and replace a total of 14 windows at front and rear elevation. At Front, Floor 3; remove two bowed 6 over 6 windows and one straight 6 over 6 window. Replace with two bowed, 6/6, wood windows and one, 6 over 6 straight window. All single hung. Front elevation fl oor four remove four 1 over 1 vinyl windows (one shattered pane) and replaces it with four 1 over 1, wood windows. Windows to be painted black on exterior. Rear elevation fl oor three, remove three existing wood, 6 over 6, windows and replace with three 6 over 6, wood windows, single hung painted black on exterior. Rear elevation fl oor four, remove four existing windows (two 4 over 4, two 6 over 6) and replace with two 4 over 4 wood windows and two 6 over 6 wood windows single hung true divided light, painted black on exterior. All windows will not have low-e glass
APP # 26.1038 BH 18 Chestnut Street: Install new copper gutters and fl ashing. Replace roof materials in kind
APP # 26.1111 BH 63 Mount Vernon Street: Cut and repoint sections of the rear wall using historic mortar mix, tooling and color
APP # 26.0663 BH 88 Mount Vernon Street: Replace fi ve total sash sets keeping original jambs and brick moldings on the fourth fl oor. Three windows are at the front Mount Vernon Street elevation Three 6 over 6’s. Two total windows are on the Willow Street elevation, One 6 over 6 and one four over four. The existing windows are not historic. The new sash would be fabricated from wood, mortise and tenon, true divided light, double hung. They will use clear glass and be glazed at the exterior. The muntin profi le width will be 13/16”. All new sash sets will be painted semi-gloss black at the exterior. All existing storm windows to be removed
APP # 26.1123 BH 160 Mount Vernon Street: Replace existing doorbell with fl ush mount intercom
APP # 26.0771 BH 23 Pinckney Street: At fourth fl oor, front facade replace four, non-historic, 1 over 1, wood windows in kind. The windows will have no low-e coating and the spacer bar between the two panes of glass will match the color of the sash
APP # 26.1115 BH 41 Pinckney Street: Replace fi ve total non-original sash sets at the top fl oor Front elevation. One: 2 over 2 in the single dormer. Two: 2 over 2’s in the middle bay. Two: 1 over 1’s at the sides of the bay. The existing windows are all 1980’s package jamb liner replacement windows with side white plastic tracks. The new proposed sash sets would be fabricated from mahogany, mortise & tenon. True divided light on the 2 over 2’s, using clear glass & painted semi-gloss black at the exterior as the previous windows approved were done by HWD. Muntin design is 13/16” interior profi le width & 3/16” exterior wood stem and glazed
APP # 26.1139 BH 127 Pinckney Street: Cut and point 100% of front and sides, replace 4 stones, prep and paint windows, and replace a handful of broken bricks in kind
APP # 26.1039 BH 25 Ridgeway Lane: Repoint brick facade using historic tooling, color and mixture APP # 26.1112 BH 4 WALNUT STREET #7: Replace two total top fl oor front elevation sash sets keeping the existing jambs, wood sills and exterior casings. The existing windows are non-historic. Replace sash sets with new wood, true divided light, double hung sash. The existing muntin is a 1 1/4” interior profi le & the new proposed sash would have a more typical 13/16” interior profi le width, 3/16” exterior wood stem & glazed. Using clear glass & painted in kind at the exterior: Black Forest Green semi-gloss
VI. Staff Updates
V. Projected Adjournment: 8:30 PM