Boston Approves 700 ft Tall Buildings Downtown

The Boston Zoning Commission approved a rezoning proposal to allow building up to 700 feet tall in some parts of downtown and increases some height limits. 

According to an article by Nik DeCosta-Klipa for WBUR, “It requires towers that take advantage of the new height limits in Downtown Crossing to be mostly residential. And it repeals land-use restrictions, making it easier to build housing and open businesses like cafes, bakeries and gyms across downtown.”

The new rule won’t apply to most downtown buildings because of state shadow regulations and FAA rules related to flight paths to Logan Airport, DeCosta-Klipa explains. Zoning commission chair Michael Nichols said in an interview with Boston Magazine that there are only four to six sites where a new 700-foot tower could “realistically” be built.

Mayor Michelle Wu, who is expected to sign the plan, said it will provide predictability by “prioritizing housing in a different way ... but it also ensures that there are protections for the historic buildings that make up a large part of this downtown area.”