CPS received reports of an unfortunate demolition of a c.1837 double house in progress on Russell Street.
We were aware of a project proposed at the site, but passed on looking into it because of the (now misleading) project description created by the architect on the project and posted on the Zoning Board of Appeals website:
“The proposed project seeks to change the occupancy of an existing two-family residential
dwelling at 58-60 Russell Street in Charlestown to a single-family through renovations. The
renovation process will include internal renovations to create an updated kitchen and bathroom
layout. External renovations will include adding new roof dormers and a roof deck. The floor
plate of the structure will not change with this proposal.”
The project went through the process because the project description does not match what was actually proposed, and ISD nor the BPDA did not catch the requirement for Design Review with the BPDA.
The project description stated that there would be “internal renovations and a dormer addition to the house”. “Adding dormers” means that the historic building is retained, the roof is cut into and dormers are added to the house. What was done was full demolition of 2 historic houses.
Two houses that have historically housed dozens of Charlestown families as “workers cottages” also known as “starter homes.” The plans show that what is left of the first floor today will ultimately be demolished for a new center entrance.
Had ISD properly reviewed the plans, this project would have not been approved in this form. 95% of the Charlestown neighborhood is regulated by a “Neighborhood Design Overlay District” that requires design review through the BPDA for significant projects. Architects at the BPDA would have insisted on keeping the two separate entrances while combining two units into one (as they did for a project on Monument Square) as well as the window patterns and size, the use of natural materials and they would have advised on the appropriate use, scale and design of the roof dormers.
Had the project description been truthful about the desire for full demolition, the project would have been required to go through an “Article 80” process for demolition review and CPS as well as the community would have been notified, and steps would have been taken to preserve the building and manage change in a contextual way.
CPS supports everyone that needs to make modifications to their homes, as long as they maintain the historic fabric of the building. We support the creation of all types of housing: affordable housing, market-rate housing, apartments, condos, multi-family and single-families. We oppose demolition and advocate for building reuse of historic buildings and advocate for deconstruction in the rare case that a building can’t be saved.
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