Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is among those catching heat from critics of a proposed 775-foot residential and commercial tower that requires a change in a state law restricting structures from casting shadows on the city’s historic common.
Walsh wants to sell a city-owned parcel containing a parking garage east of the common to a developer. Walsh wants the state legislature to modify a 1990s-era law to allow the transaction to go forward, but public criticism is running high.
Supporters of the current law, such as the Friends of the Public Garden, are concerned that a change in the legislation would open the floodgates for similar projects in the area. The brouhaha over shadows cast by high rises highlights the difficulty of getting residential sky scrapers permitted in densely packed cities.
A columnist in the Boston Globe wrote, “The obsession with shadows on Boston Common is ridiculous.” He added that the garage is an eyesore, and the project would help alleviate a shortage of housing in the city. Former governor and presidential candidate Michael Dukakis was among those expressing reservations about changing the law.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Apr 9, 2018
U.K. business leaders call for zero-carbon buildings by 2030
Real estate, construction industry executives among those supporting the goal.
Codes and Standards | Apr 5, 2018
In Houston, proposed rules would require building above 500-year flood level
Change would impact 85,739 pieces of property.
Codes and Standards | Apr 4, 2018
New ASTM standard supports stucco use in construction
Provides way to measure tensile strength in vertical applications.
Codes and Standards | Apr 3, 2018
LEED v4.1 O+M for Existing Buildings available for beta testing
Update said to be most inclusive and transparent platform to date.
Codes and Standards | Apr 2, 2018
Experts chosen for ICC, ANCR buildings resilience benchmarks project
Specialists to focus on community preparedness for disasters.
Codes and Standards | Mar 29, 2018
Contractors have paid $5.2 million for failing local resident employee mandate on Detroit arena
Companies were only able to meet half of the 51% local worker requirement over course of the project.
Codes and Standards | Mar 28, 2018
Washington State moving to promote mass timber construction with legislation
Bill would require all 12-story or less public buildings to be built with mass timber.
Codes and Standards | Mar 27, 2018
Los Angeles appoints its first chief design officer
Responsibility for enhancing civic architecture and urban design.
Codes and Standards | Mar 26, 2018
National Roofing Contractors Assn., releases updates to its Roof Wind Designer app
Significant changes to online wind-load calculator.
Codes and Standards | Mar 22, 2018
Global construction waste to almost double by 2025
Concerns in Houston, Minnesota over environmental impacts.
