Boston Modern: The Spirit of Reinvention

Booklets, Fact Sheets, & Publications

Modern Architecture

Boston Modern: The Spirit of Reinvention events and booklet are part of the Modern Module program, a two-year endeavor in four cities, aimed at building public support for and engaging in discussions focused on the study and protection of America’s modern architectural resources. The series of events is coordinated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Modernism + Recent Past Program and funded by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Henry Luce Foundation. The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Northeast Office is proud to host Boston Modern in close partnership with the Boston Preservation Alliance, Boston Landmarks Commission, Boston Society of Architects, Common Boston, DOCOMOMO-US/New England, Historic New England, and Preservation Massachusetts, with additional support provided by Ann and Graham Gund as well as Sidney Bowen and Angela Watson.

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Boston Modern: The Spirit of Reinvention

Other Resources

2022 Annual Report

Preservation in transition.

2021 Annual Report: Redefining Preservation

It’s time to redefine preservation.

2020 Alliance Annual Report

There is always more to the story.

Statement on Monuments and Memorials

On June 2 the Boston Preservation Alliance released a brief statement of our solidarity with the

2019 Alliance Annual Report

Together we make Boston better.

2018-2019 Alliance Annual

In this 51 page booklet, we highlight Preservation Achievement Award winning projects, Boston pho

250 Years of Home Architecture in Boston

Take a virtual walk down history lane and explore great neighborhoods–including Beacon Hill, Dorc

Boston Groundwater Trust Video Series

In 2018, The Boston Groundwater Trust debuted a series of award winning informational videos abou

Longwood Medical and Academic Area (LMA) Historic Properties Survey—Final Report

The Boston Preservation Alliance received mitigation funds from Boston Children’s Hospital to upd

Boston Harborwalk—A Public Access Map of Boston’s Coastline

The Boston Harborwalk is a nearly 40-mile public waterfront walkway that winds through Boston’s w

The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse

Until now, little has been known about the climate change reductions that might be offered by reu

Back Bay Houses

Boston’s Back Bay is a miracle of preservation.

Piano Row: Cycles of History

Piano Row: Cycles of History is an original film documentary about the evolution of Bost

Historic Ladder Blocks—An Endangered Resource in Downtown Boston

With no local protection or means of preventing demolition, the Ladder Blocks are at great risk o

Boston's Changing Neighborhoods

On February 4, 2016 the Boston Preservation Alliance hosted an Urban Forum: “Boston’s Changi

Easements as a Tool for Preservation

Here in Boston there are a few ways we can protect a building or other historic resource.

City of Boston Archives The City Archives houses and manages historic City records and documents that are no longer in active use, including photographs, plans, deeds, maps and other documents. You’d be surprised by the wide range of historic materials that can inform your understanding of the history of Boston and its neighborhoods and buildings.

Neighborhood Preservation Workshops

The Boston Preservation Alliance’s Neighborhood Preservation Workshop was a pilot program that ra

Inspectional Services Department (ISD) The ISD enforces building and housing regulations. Permits applications for building, modifying, or demolishing a building are submitted to this department. Vacant and foreclosed properties are registered with the ISD, which includes documentation and photographs.

Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) The BPDA is Boston’s planning and economic development agency. They work with other City departments and organizations on a wide range of planning and development initiatives. Development projects are subject to comment periods and public processes. The BPDA plays a far reaching role in shaping the City.

Boston Landmarks Commission (BLC) The Boston Landmarks Commission, along with the volunteer local Historic District Commissions, serve as the City’s steward of Boston’s historic buildings, places, and neighborhoods. The BLC and the Commissions are part of the city’s Environment Department, and provide information and assistance concerning the regulatory process, historic preservation planning, archaeology, sources for historical information, and technical assistance.