55 Shattuck demo delay review postponed

The Boston Landmarks Commission (BLC) was slated to review during a July 9 meeting whether the proposal to demolish the 55 Shattuck St. building on the Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) campus triggers a demolition delay zoning regulation, according to BLC Executive Director Ellen Lipsey.

But BCH postponed the review the day of the meeting, with a tentative new date of Aug. 13, according to Lipsey.

BCH did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Article 85 of the zoning code requires a delay of 90 days in issuing a demolition permit for a building more than 50 years of age. BCH held a community meeting June 24, a requirement of Article 85.

The Friends of Historic Mission Hill, which has criticized the demolition, has petitioned BLC to landmark the 55 Shattuck St. building. That process is separate from Article 85 and has no timeframe.

The demolition of 55 Shattuck St. is part of BCH’s Institutional Master Plan (IMP), which still needs to be approved by the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA). The IMP is currently under review, with a comment period ending Aug. 18, according to BRA spokesperson Melina Schuler.

In essence, BCH is seeking an Article 85 review before a replacement plan for the 55 Shattuck St. building has even been approved.

According to the Friends of Historic Mission Hill, the 55 Shattuck St. building was originally a hospital for infants starting in 1914 before being purchased in 1921 to become the headquarters for the Harvard School of Public Health, according to the statement. During the 1970s, it was purchased by BCH, becoming an administration building.

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