Draft Project Impact Report - Boston Redevelopment Authority

Exeter Residences/888 Boylston
Potential Effects – 888 Boylston
February 5 / November 5
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Environmental.docx
owned Prudential Center pedestrian areas. Generally the Exeter Residences cast
shadow in the early morning hours and then have no further impact through the rest
of the day.
Impacts on the Boston Public Library western-facing courtyard wall were extensively
studied and found to be minimal. The Project will not cast any shadows on the
courtyard level itself, and in four of the ninety-nine periods studied, casts shadow on
the highest level on the western-facing courtyard wall.
Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood, dominated by mid-rise buildings and adjacent to
the “City’s Spine” of high-rise buildings is an area of constantly changing sun and
shadow shifting on an hourly, daily and seasonal basis. The minor changes
predicted by this analysis are unlikely to be noticed by the typical pedestrian or
casual observer.
The following section describes the estimated shadows under the 155-feet Zoning
Height and Proposed Program conditions for the 888 Boylston development and are
shown on Figures 5-10 thru 5-21.
155-feet Zoning Height
On February 5 and November 5, the 155 foot 888 Boylston building will cast new
shadow on Boylston Street and the adjacent street side plaza space, beginning with a
thin column of shadow at 9 AM to a wider shadow as the sun moves west. At
approximately 10:30, 888 Boylston’s shadow is coincident with the Prudential Center
behind it where it has very little new shadow. By 3 PM the 155 foot 888 Boylston
casts no new shadow.
Due to the sun angle there are no impacts on the internal pedestrian plaza spaces in
and around the existing AvalonBay residential buildings.
The sun has set prior to the 6 PM period.
Proposed Program
The proposed 888 Boylston does not have any additional impacts on roadway or
sidewalk areas except at the 9 AM period where the Proposed Program fills in some
gaps on Gloucester Street north of Boylston Street.
DRAFT - Environmental Protection 5-22