BCDC Gives Critical Report to Design, Massing of Quinzani’s Site Proposal

By Seth Daniel

A design review committee within the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) pretty much sent the Quinzani’s site proposal by Related Beal back to the drawing board – leveling pointed criticism at a meeting this month of the project’s massing and use of brick.

At the Boston Civic Design Commission (BCDC) meeting on June 7, commissioners from the Design Committee presented a report that suggested Related take another look at the overall massing strategy and focus on the context along Harrison Avenue and the surrounding neighborhood.

According to a spokesman from the BRA, the BCDC suggested a more consistent height instead of the stepped down approach that had it progressively climb to 14 stories as it went northward up Harrison.

The Commissioners also did not like the public courtyard space proposed for the building and to not feel tied down to using brick.

“In terms of materials, they encouraged the development team to embrace Mayor Walsh’s call for bolder architecture and not feel beholden to making brick an essential part of the design ‘vocabulary’ of the project,” said the BRA spokesman in an e-mail.

Related said they didn’t consider the criticism a setback, but rather just another piece of input in the process.

“We filed a Basic Project Notification Form in March, and as part of the next steps we are collecting feedback from the community, the BRA, the BCDC and other key stakeholders,” read a statement from Related to the Sun. “We continue to further our design as we move through the process.”

The project would contain 280 units of rental and ownership units in a 14-story building. The building would house two retail areas on the ground floor and 175 apartment units and 105 condo units above. There would be 180 parking spaces in three underground levels and 280 bike spots.

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