Draft Project Impact Report - Boston Redevelopment Authority

Exeter Residences/888 Boylston
Massachusetts State Building Code Variances
The land owned by an affiliate of Boston Properties at Prudential Center is known as
Land Court Parcel 18. Both the site of the Exeter Residences and 888 Boylston are
part of this larger Parcel. In connection with construction of these two buildings, it is
anticipated that the land on which they are located, as well as the below grade
portions of the garage, will be subdivided from Parcel 18 to create new lots, in order
to facilitate standard commercial real estate transactions such as ground leases and
financing. It is anticipated that the Exeter Residences and 888 Boylston may each be
built close to or on the lot lines separating these newly subdivided lots from the
remainder of Lot 18, and that the subsurface garage will cross the lot lines below
grade without fire walls at the lot lines.
The State Building Code generally requires physical separation of a certain distance
of buildings from the lot lines. In cases in which such physical separation is not
feasible, a variance from the provisions of the building code may be granted if
equivalence from a life/safety vantage point is demonstrated. Similar variances
were granted in connection with prior phases of the Prudential Center
redevelopment, such as the Mandarin Oriental Boston, as each Phase has been
subdivided from the former larger Prudential Center parcel.
Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA)
The Proponent has met with MEPA to discuss the proposed Exeter Residences and
888 Boylston additions and of the currently pending Article 80 review. The
Prudential Center underwent MEPA review in connection with the original Project in
1990. Although the current Project would not exceed current MEPA threshold
standards and therefore would not require review if it were a new Project, since the
Project includes a modification of previously approved Phase 4a, a Notice of Project
Change will be filed with MEPA as a continuation of the original Prudential Center
Project filings. The Proponent intends to file a formal Notice of Project Change with
MEPA subsequent to completion of the Article 80 process.
Consistency with Article 41 – Huntington Avenue /
Prudential Center District
The Prudential Center Site is located within the Huntington Avenue/Prudential
Center District under Article 41 of the Code and is within PDA No. 37 under the
Development Plan for the Prudential Center Redevelopment, and, accordingly, has
the designation of "D" on the Zoning Map. The site also lies within the Groundwater
Conservation Overlay District and Restricted Parking Overlay District. Additionally,
\\Mabos\projects\09916.00\docs\Permits\DPIR\Text\DPIR Chapter 2 Project
Description.docx Project Description 2-6