Boston Civic Design Commission

[JohnAKeith]

Sooo... I guess I never quite realized that the Boston Civic Design Commission (BCDC) existed.

I know, you're saying, wut?

But, it's true.

I figured the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) had the only say in what got built in the city - and how it looked.

And, it sort of does have final approval, according to this tweet from the BRA:

BCDC advises the BRA on design and the BRA board has ultimate approval authority.

But, there is at least an interim step where a design is discussed and debated.

I've never attended any BCDC meeting - has anyone else? I only started taking notice a couple weeks ago when a Boston Business Journal (BBJ) reporter went and took some photos of the proposed 171 Tremont design.

What are people's opinions on the BCDC, if any? Is it just a rubber stamp for the mayor (or, was it, when Mr. Menino was in charge?).

The commissioners are all certified architects, and include David Hacin and David "2024" Manfredi, which you could argue is good, since they do a lot of designs in the city, which you could argue is bad, because not everything they put up is great architecture (no?).

Is it worth attending these meetings for any reason other than to get a first-look at what might be coming down the road? Is there an opportunity for public input (Q&A with designers; feeback)?

The other thing I find interesting is what I learned from someone in the BCDC office, when I asked if the designs discussed at the BCDC meetings were available online:

The BCDC webpage needs a more certain caretaker to ensure that design material is visible, especially with projects such as Seaport Square that have no other public process. As it is, the Design Committee meetings do not require electronic submissions....everything is assumed to be a work in progress.

Submissions are required at the beginning and over time more regularly at the end of BCDC review. The results there should be very similar to anything approved at the BRA Board, which in fact are visible.

This thread might be useful for discussing the commission, its commissioners, and how it evolves over time.

The mission and responsibilities of the BCDC are as follows (per their webpage on the BRA's website):

Boston Civic Design Commission

The Boston Civic Design Commission (BCDC) provides a forum for the general public and professional design community to participate in the shaping of the city's physical form and natural environment. Members of the Commission are seasoned design professionals with a deep understanding of local context. They are charged with critiquing the aesthetics of proposed development projects and ensuring that the projects have a positive impact on the city's public realm.

The BCDC holds public meetings on the first Tuesday of every month. Interested citizens are invited to participate, and representatives of the Boston Society of Architects and the Boston Society of Landscape Architects regularly attend to share their opinions.

The BCDC Review Criteria include:

* new or rehabilitated structures over 100,000 square feet;
* projects of special significance or projects that, by the determination of the BCDC members, will have a special urban design significance in the City;
* civic projects involving changes to parks, civic or cultural centers or monuments;
* and district design guidelines to be adopted by the BRA. This may include PDAs, IMPs, and certain Planning documents generated to guide development in Boston's neighborhoods.

Design aspects of particular importance to the BCDC include:

* design of streets and public walkways,
* design of public spaces,
* design of buildings,
* and protection of the overall character of Boston.

 

[Matthew]

I went once. You can talk to them. I got in a minor argument with Manfredi over some details on the particular project I was curious about. They decided to make some pretty sweeping changes to the design and the developer just went along with it. I didn't care for the changes but oh well.

Honestly, I didn't leave the room with a good impression of their work... and it's a little sketchy that such a committee exists. Hopefully most of the time it's not a big deal.