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HRC refers Masonic Temple adaptive-reuse plan to ARC as developer seeks state tax credits
Summary
Commissioners unanimously referred the Masonic Temple adaptive-reuse project to the Architectural Review Committee for window and dormer design refinements and requested a visibility study to guide SHPO and Park Service review; the developer said the project is not viable without state historic tax credits.
The Historic Resources Commission voted to refer the Masonic Temple rehabilitation project (1001 Massachusetts Street) to the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) for further design work, particularly on north-elevation window openings and the visual impact of proposed dormers.
Patrick Watkins, representing the owner, said the project’s viability depends on historic rehabilitation tax credits and described early, preliminary feedback from the National Park Service: "This project is not realistic without the state seeing the value of preservation and economic development," he said, adding the developer needs windows to make residential reuse feasible. Staff and the applicant agreed to coordinate with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the National Park Service for preliminary review and to perform a "red-flag" visibility study from public right-of-way viewpoints for the proposed rooftop dormers.
Commissioners and staff discussed interior preservation items (organ, stage drops, carved elements) and mitigation options for new rooftop additions — for example, recessing dormers, using paint/material strategies to reduce visual prominence, and documenting interior fabric. The HRC requested that ARC include SHPO staff in the review and return a report and the red-flag study with ARC minutes to the commission.
The referral passed in a recorded vote. The referral does not approve final design or tax credit eligibility; the project will require subsequent staff and federal/state reviews to confirm compliance with tax credit standards before any final approvals or building permits.
