The Beacon Hill Architectural Commission green-lit an updated design review application to construct a new storefront at the site of the erstwhile Beacon Hill Pub at the commission’s monthly public hearing held virtually Thursday, Sept. 17.
David Freed, the project architect, then detailed the planned exterior changes at the street level of 147-149 Charles St. to accommodate Harry Hare’s, an incoming British-style restaurant and pub from veteran Boston restauranter Patrick Lyons.
The proposed work, said Freed, includes installing a new wood band sign, with the incoming business name in carved lettering, along with overhead lighting; changing the windows in the storefront to become operable, “fully swinging” windows; installing new cedar window boxes; recladding the storefront with a granite base; changing the fenestration on two of the three front doors to become windows; and installing a menu display to the left of the remaining front door, among other alterations.
Chair Mark Kiefer made a motion to approve the application with provisos, which was unanimously supported by himself, along with Commissioners Annette Given, Ralph Jackson, and Sandra Steele; the motion included several provisos, including that the new windows be true divided-light; that the new windows contain dark spacer bars; and that the new windows not contain low-e glass. Details of the windows and the remaining front door would also be delegated to staff (Nicholas Armata) for final approval.
The matter of an outstanding chimney and window violations at the property were mentioned during public comment. Staff said they are working towards resolving these issues, which weren’t part of this application and are a separate matter altogether.
The commission unanimously approved a revised design review application for the street-level storefront at 160 Charles St., which was formerly home to Savenor’s Market. The proposed work includes the installation of a new board sign and a new awning emblazoned with the name of the incoming business, Brick Street Bagel.
In his staff notes, Armata noted that while buildings in the Historic Beacon Hill District are each typically allowed both a band sign and a blade sign, the application wasn’t asking for the allowable blade sign, so the proposed awning was effectively being permitted for the applicant in lieu of another sign.
Likewise, Chair Kiefer said the proposed awning signage was acceptable to him, since signs are sometimes permitted for larger buildings in the historic district that are home to multiple businesses (e.g. the Charles Street Meeting House). He also noted like Armata, he was willing to consider the proposed awning signage in light of the fact that the applicant isn’t also pursuing a blade sign for the business.
Commissioner Alice Richmond put forth a motion to approve the revised application as submitted, which was unanimously supported by herself, along with Chair Kiefer and Commissioners Given, Jackson, and Steele.
The commission also unanimously approved a design review application for the installation of a new awning at the corner of Beacon and Park streets for the incoming Childs Gallery. The proposed awning would be mounted on an existing frame, with business name adoring the bottom portion of the awning.
Richard Baiano, president and owner of the longstanding art gallery, noted that the awning’s gold-and-brown color scheme proposed for 22 Beacon St. is consistent with the company’s branding colors while the proposed stripes pay tribute to the design of the awning, which adorned the business’s former home on Newbury Street in the Back Bay.
Commissioner Jackson expressed his preference for a solid-colored awning, rather than a patterned one, regardless of the color ultimately selected.
“The pattern is so bold,” said Commissioner Jackson of the proposed awning. “It seems very loud.”
Chair Kiefer agreed that the awning should be “something less busy and more understated.”
The applicant also presented an alternate awning design in a solid-gold color.
Chair Kiefer made a motion, which was approved unanimously by himself, along with Commissioners Given, Jackson, Richmond, and Steele, to approve the application in its revised form; this came with provisos that the alternative design with a solid-gold color be used; and that the business name be displayed in simple lettering on only the larger of the two awnings.
The commission also heard a design review application for 9 Louisburg Square, with proposed work including the modification of the garden-level security gate, as well as the replacement of a deteriorating service door and its hardware.
Chair Kiefer made a motion to approve the application with some provisos, which was approved unanimously by himself, along with Commissioners Given, Jackson, Richmond, and Steele.
The motion’s provisos included that the applicant work with staff to revise the design of the gate to resemble its previous existing conditions as closely as possible; that the thinnest stock possible be used for the frame; which would be mounted behind the existing iron work; that the frame only constitute the horizontal portion of the ironwork; and that the final design be submitted to staff for prior approval.
Chair Kiefer added that he had no objection to replacing the security door and its hardware on the condition that the applicant submit supporting documentation to staff ahead of any construction work.
Meanwhile, the commission also reviewed a violation for the ratification of unapproved side facade alterations at 180 Cambridge St., including the removal of stucco from the underlying brickwork. (The removed stucco contained an impression of the adjacent building, commissioners noted.)
The applicant said the removal of the stucco was a necessary step to reach and remedy the deteriorating brickwork below.
Chair Kiefer said the commission would never have approved this type of “architectural intervention” in the first place, instead opting for an approach that would have prioritized preserving the stucco outline of the adjacent building.
Chair Kiefer also noted that this address only came under the commission’s jurisdiction in 2024, with the passage of a new law expanding the Beacon Hill Historic District to include all of the North Slope via the addition of an approximately 40-foot-wide area running from Charles Circle to Bowdoin Street along Cambridge Street on the Beacon Hill side.
Moreover, Chair Kiefer noted that the commission didn’t need to vote on this matter, since no formal action was being taken at that time. He instead requested that the applicant work with staff to conceive a new proposal, which aims to restore the building’s side facades to their original condition as closely as possible.
A design review application for the Sevens Ale House at 77 Charles St., with proposed work including the installation of a new lighting fixture; the extension of storefront glazing to match the historic glazing; trim-work at both entries; and the replacement of the mailbox and buzzer, was removed by staff from the meeting agenda.
A design review application for 15 West Cedar St., which proposes painting the door in ‘Delft Blue,’ high-gloss finish, and Hollandlac Brilliant 98, also appeared on the hearing agenda but ultimately wasn’t heard due to the applicant’s absence.
