Three things you need to know about Landmarking in Boston

Learn more about the Landmark Designation Process!

1. Did you know that it only takes 10 registered voters of Boston to petition to designate a new Landmark or District?

The historic designation process in the City of Boston is constituent-driven. Petitioners play an active role in the petition process, from meeting with Landmarks Commission staff to writing the petition and testifying before the Commission about the proposed designation. 

The first step in any potential designation is to contact the Executive Director of the Boston Landmarks Commission at BLC@boston.gov to request a meeting.

At a pre-file meeting, the Executive Director and Landmarks Commission staff can assist you by:

• Assessing whether a property has potential for Landmark designation
• Explaining how to fill out a petition
• Advising on how to do research for the petition
• Providing information about the designation process

Your petition must include a written summary of the history and significance of the resource you'd like to designate. For guidance, take a look at our research and technical assistance page.

A minimum of 10 Boston voters' signatures are required on any petition. Alternatively, the Mayor or an individual BLC Commissioner can also submit a petition. If the BLC votes to accept the petition at a public hearing, the petition is added to the pending Landmarks list. The next step in the process is to prepare a study report. When a final draft study report is ready, it will be posted for a period of public feedback. After feedback is gathered, and the study report amended if necessary, the Landmarks Commission votes on designation. The Mayor and City Council then also vote on the designation.

2. Did you know that not all Landmarks are buildings?

The Landmarks Commission may designate various resources as Landmarks. According to the Commission’s enabling legislation, these can be categorized as either a “physical feature,” which is defined as “any natural topographic feature or landscape element, including plants or trees, water courses, shores, promontories and rock outcroppings,” or an “improvement,” which is defined as “any place, structure, building, fixture, object or landscape or topographic feature which in whole or part constitutes an exterior or interior betterment, adornment or enhancement of any real property.”

There are four criteria used to evaluate the significance of a resource:

• A property listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• A resource at which events occurred that have made an outstanding contribution to, and are identified prominently with, or which best represent some important aspect of cultural, political, economic, military, or social history.
• A resource associated significantly with the lives of outstanding historic personages.
• A resource representative of elements of architectural or landscape design or craftsmanship that embody distinctive characteristics of a type inherently valuable for study of a period, style, or method of construction or development, or a notable work of an influential architect, landscape architect, designer, or builder.

Based on the resource’s level of significance, the Commission may designate it:

• A Landmark: An individual physical feature or improvement.
• A Landmark District: An area above local significance (state, regional, or national).
• An Architectural Conservation District: An area with significance at the local level.
• A Protection Area: An area adjacent to and contributing to the physical environment of a Landmark, Landmark District, or Architectural Conservation District.

3. Did you know that not every neighborhood in Boston has a Landmark?

The neighborhood with the highest number of Landmarks is Downtown, with 55 designated Landmarks. Roslindale got its first Landmark just last year, when 318 Metropolitan Avenue was designated. Hyde Park, the Leather District, and the West End have no Landmarks. (The South End also has none, but the neighborhood is a protected Landmark District.)

The Office of Historic Preservation is committed to increasing outreach to underrepresented communities to talk about the designation process. We want to ensure that everyone in Boston understands how to petition and has access to resources to create one. 

A petition comes from the people – so if you know of a physical feature or improvement that you think is worthy of designation, please reach out to us at BLC@boston.gov! 

This article was prepared by Jennifer Gaugler, Architectural Historian.