11-21 Bromfield Street (formerly One Bromfield)

Downtown/Financial District

New Construction

Under Review By City

Actively Engaged

42.3565297, -71.0596824

The Ladder Blocks in downtown Boston is a series of parallel commercial streets running, like rungs on a ladder, each connecting Tremont Street to Washington Street. They contain historic buildings and streetscapes that preserve the late 19th and early 20th century retail feel of the district that has long been the bustling hub of New England. These iconic vistas have been repeatedly threatened by deferred maintenance and neglect, intentional blight by owners and developers, and incongruous new construction. In 2016, the Boston Preservation Alliance successfully nominated the Ladder Blocks to be listed in the Preservation Massachusetts’ Most Endangered Historic Resources Program to raise awareness for this unique district and the threats to its character.

Over a decade ago, a New York-based developer, Midwood Investments and Development, purchased several buildings at the corner of Bromfield and Washington Streets and has repeatedly proposed various iterations of a tower at this iconic corner. A proposal in 2008 called for 28 floors including three above-ground levels of parking but did not advance. The proponent returned in 2015 to reintroduce a new project, this one over 600’ tall. It was strongly opposed by the neighborhood and advocates like the Alliance. Midwood filed new plans in 2020 with a revised proposal that did not include parking but still exceeds the height limits (apx. 300’ feet vs the 155’ allowed by zoning) for this area and does not respect the historic character of The Ladder Blocks. The community has opposed this proposal as well, but it remains in the Article 80 process at the BPDA.

Our Position

The Alliance has strongly opposed the towers proposed for this site for several reasons.

First, we find it unacceptable that a large developer can purchase several storefronts in the heart of historic downtown Boston and leave the buildings vacant and unmaintained for over a decade, and then use blight as justification for demolition and new construction. Rewarding self-created poor conditions and inadequate stewardship of resources with approval of a non-contextual, out-of-zoning design would be poor policy and disrespectful to this historic neighborhood. Despite claims by the proponent, the proposal does not appropriately engage with its historic surroundings.

Second, before the Covid-19 crisis, the BPDA was conducting a robust planning process for downtown, including The Ladder Blocks, called PLAN: Downtown. Guided by dozens of community members and advocates on an Advisory Group, the planning effort was reaching conclusion — moving in the direction of recommendations for height limitations in three areas of downtown defined as “character areas” to preserve historic integrity — when COVID disrupted the process which was restarted by the City in early 2023. If that plan were in place, the parcels in this proposal would not be allowed to be developed to the height proposed. The current proposal for the Bromfield site disregards the height recommendations that had emerged from the planning process and does not embrace the goals set forth by that Advisory Group and the BPDA to “Preserve the cultural heritage and embrace the distinctive histories present in public spaces as essential to creating a unique and cohesive Downtown” or “Preserve historic building fabric and cultural institutions while advancing climate preparedness and resiliency measures.” Even though the planning effort is not yet finalized, projects should respect the goals outlined and the height limits supported by those involved, and projects should not move forward in the review process that propose otherwise. The City should not approve non-compliant projects while this critical planning effort is in process.

Finally, after conversations about the current proposal with the proponent, members of the downtown community, the Boston Civic Design Commission, and the BPDA, the Alliance remains opposed to the project not only because of its excessive height (with no justified hardship for the necessary variances) but because the design does not complement or enhance the historic district. The minor setbacks at the upper levels do little to create a dialogue with its historic, human-scaled neighbors. The attempt at “greening’ the building with terrace plantings is inconsequential to the millions of people who will experience this building as pedestrians on the street, not users of the units, and the accentuated and illuminated interior stair on the proposed northern facade will be a distracting architectural gesture rather than a feature, further eroding the view of historic fabric as seen from iconic viewsheds like City Hall Plaza and the Old South Meeting House. The Alliance frequently supports new construction, but we cannot support a project that without justification negatively impacts a historic area  — a prominent and historic corner while also ignoring the concerns of neighbors, abutters, and community advocates.

Find project documents at the BPDA website.

Highlights from our activity log:

March, 2023

The Alliance attends a virtual public meeting for the project. The project team presents the proposal, which has not been altered to reflect feedback from the community. Over 100 people are in attendance and many speak during the public comment portion of the meeting. The vast majority of those speaking in favor, over thirty individuals, identify themselves as representatives of trades unions and most do not speak about the project itself, only in support of the union jobs that will be provided by the new construction. Those speaking in opposition continue to raise concerns about height, negative impacts to the neighborhood and nearby historic resources, the process and PLAN: Downtown, etc. Alliance Executive Director Alison Frazee states that the Alliance remains opposed to the proposal since, over the past decade, the proponent has yet to present a project that is embraced by the community. Frazee reiterates that this non-compliant project should not continue to move forward until the planning process for the neighborhood is complete, at which time the project should be modified as needed to be in compliance with the zoning changes and goals of the Plan.

January 27, 2023

The Alliance submits a comment letter, attached below, to the BPDA in opposition to the project. The letter expresses deep concern for the process and accountability of the BPDA and the Wu administration to follow through on promises to prioritize neighborhood planning.

January 24, 2023

Alliance Executive Director Alison Frazee attends a virtual meeting of the design review subcommittee for the Boston Civic Design Commission (BCDC). After the proponent presents the project, the three BCDC members present express general support for the proposal and a desire to advance the project for a vote. The public is given time to comment and substantial opposition to the project is vocalized. Alison expresses concerns about the process and the incomplete plan for downtown. BCDC members suggest that if the finalized plan alters the zoning for this site, it would come back to BCDC for another review.

January 18, 2023

Alliance Executive Director Alison Frazee attends a virtual meeting of the Impact Advisory Group (IAG). The proponent presents the project, showing few changes from the previous iteration. The tower is still proposed at 345’ with an office program. This height is not allowed by current zoning, nor would it be allowed by the proposed zoning that was advancing in the PLAN: Downtown discussions. However, the BPDA recently adjusted the heights in the Plan for the specific parcels at this project site to 400’, though this change is not finalized. After the proponent’s presentation, nearly all of the comments from the IAG and from the public are in opposition, largely due to the impacts of height at this location. Alison expresses several concerns and opposition to the proposal at the current height.

February 4, 2022

The Alliance submits a comment letter, attached, reiterating the reasons why we remain opposed to the project.

January 11, 2022

Alliance staff attends BCDC design review; Commissioners discuss various design and landscape details of the proposal. Minor modifications have been made to the project. Alliance staff comments that we remain opposed to the project, largely because the height violates both current zoning and anticipated zoning changes from the PLAN: Downtown guidelines. Staff also urges Commissioners to consider the project overall and is impacts before providing detailed design feedback; there are many who oppose the height and massing of this proposal, regardless of the design.

December 15, 2021

Alliance staff attends a public meeting about the proposal and provides comments during the Q&A portion of the meeting. Staff clarifies that we do feel that this project is within the historic Ladder Block neighborhood and the height should be lowered to be sensitive to the historic context. We feel that the project should not move forward with such egregious zoning violations until it can be considered in light of new guidelines that will be established by the PLAN: Downtown process once it is complete. There is significant community opposition to this proposal, including many of the stewards of nearby historic resources. Staff then asks questions about the studies that were shared in the presentation: one analysis promotes the economic impacts of the new project but did not suggest it took into account the fact that the storefronts on the property have been left empty for a decade, which is part of a bigger problem with how we do development in Boston. The other study, which examined the environment impacts of the new construction, did not include an analysis of the demolition of the existing buildings and the lost carbon and energy associated with demolition and new construction. Though the new building is commendably “green” the project itself is starting “in the hole” and should account for total losses and contributions to the waste stream, including demolition of the existing buildings. The proponent responds that they will look into those additional factors for both studies.

May 11, 2021

Alliance staff attends BCDC design review where a similar presentation is given to what the Alliance subcommittee heard the day before, noting in public comments that we have met and we feel the project only makes superficial nods to the historic context of The Ladder Blocks.

May 10, 2021

A subcommittee of the Alliance meets with the project team to hear updates to the project and ask questions. The Alliance expresses concerns about a 303’ tower in an area zoned for 155’ in a historically sensitive context, noting that the modest setbacks may not provide enough visual relief for the height. The Alliance shares that they do feel the new approach to Bromfield Street is much more appropriate and better respects the historic fabric and feel of the street.

March 2, 2021

The Alliance attends a presentation to a subcommittee of the Boston Civic Design Committee (BCDC); presentation attached below. Commissioners commend improvements to design but still question height and ask for models that show the building in context. Alliance Executive Director Greg Galer provides public comments about historic fabric of neighborhood, fear of setting precedent for excessive height, and urges consideration of feedback from the PLAN: Downtown process.

February 22, 2021

The Alliance submits a comment letter, attached below. The letter opposes the current project based on excessive height and disconnect with the historic character of the neighborhood.

October 30, 2020

The proponent files a Project Notification Form (PNF), attached below, for the revised project.

March 4, 2020

The proponent files a Letter of Intent (LOI) with the BPDA briefly describing plans for a revised project at the corner of Bromfield and Washington streets. The new project is a 21 story tower for retail and offices and does not include parking.

May 3, 2016

The Alliance submits a comment letter, attached below, expressing many concerns about the proposed 700’ tower in a historically significant area zoned for no more than 155’.