By Beth Treffeisen
Tucked away on the corner of Piedmont and Broadway Street in the Bay Village, the Revere Hotel upgraded a much forgotten storefront that runs beneath the concrete parking garage.
But, at the Bay Village Architectural Commission (BVAC) hearing this past Tuesday, April 11, Joe Cornish the City of Boston preservation planner noticed that the work was already completed, before receiving approval by the BVAC.
“I walked over there today and it already looked like it was completed,” said Cornish.
The representatives of the Revere Hotel said that they were supposed to go before the Commission during the March meeting but it was canceled due to the snow. Due to a scheduling mix-up the work was already completed.
Since the construction appeared to follow in compliance with what the Commission would approve, they didn’t see a problem with it and approved the application.
The project included removing two existing sections of dark bronze aluminum storefront and installing new dark bronze aluminum storefront in the existing opening with different a different door configuration.
Commissioner Anne Kilguss pointed out which years ago that storefront replaced a street and years ago those doors were open for public use.
“The public should be able to go through at anytime but now you can’t,” said Kilguss. “But I can understand why you wouldn’t want that.”
Commissioner Stephen Dunwell said that the old street Broadway went through that space during the 60’s and early 70’s and that when that building was built it was configured over that street.
“I believe, as part of that deal, it was stated that it will forever after public access throughout the building and that people will be able to go through it,” said Dunwell. “This is in part to keeping that street alive.”
He continued, “But as the years went by people kind of forgot and it withered away.”
Both Dunwell and Kilguss suggested that the Revere Hotel look into that so that they can preserve the pedestrian right away there.
Also at the meeting there was approval of new signage at Bella Florist located at 125 Charles Street South. The application asked to remove the existing signage and replace it with a new awning and new blade sign.
The new signs will host the name Florist with the same Chinese letters that the current signs have.
“I think it’s charming,” said Kilguss. Commissioner Ruth Knopf agreed saying, “I think it makes the building look nice.”
Lastly, a violation was resolved at 23 Melrose Street. Eight unapproved one-over-one double-hung windows will be replaced with six-over-six black aluminum clad windows.