BC Jesuit Housing Plan Approved

The Boston College plan to demolish three Victorian Homes and replace them with Jesuit Housing gets the go ahead.

Three Victorian homes (built between 1870 and 1880) will be demolished by Boston College and replaced by a plan that calls for a five building complex designed for Jesuit student housing.

The three homes, located at 188, 192, and 196 Foster Street in Brighton, were at one point seen as having potential historical value to the city by the Landmarks Commission. Originally, a demolition delay (a 90-day period where the Commission more carefully examines the situation) was put into effect, but it was later unanimously revoked when the college made a more detailed presentation regarding the project.

A demolition delay on any project can be instituted if the Landmarks Commission feels like the structure being demolished holds any significance (historical, architectural, aesthetic, etc.) to the city, state, or country.

The initial sticking point was the house located at 188 Foster Street, it was the one with the most significant contribution to the city (according to the commission) and was the only one that the Landmarks Commission was concerned about. However, after looking at the plans and seeing that the construction would effectively cut the lone house off from the rest of the neighborhood, it was determined that it did not make sense to inconvenience the rest of the project to save the one structure.

Source: Allston-Brighton Tab

Also from the Tab, be sure to check out this letter to the editor regarding this and other BC projects in the Brighton area.