Landmark Commission Approves Demolition of Former Boston Herald Building

Agreeing that the building lacked historical significance, the South End Landmark District Commission unanimously approved the demolition of the former Boston Herald building, at 300 Harrison Ave., Tuesday.

However, at the meeting, the commission did not go as far as to approve the construction of the proposed “Ink Block” project, which would go in at the site, as members said that, as is customary, the proposal must first pass through the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals.

“We can’t really vote on it tonight,” Christie Gamp, a commission member, told representatives from National Development, the project's developer.

[For details on the multi-building proposal, which includes 471 residential units, a grocery store and room for retail or restaurants, as well as parking, .]

It appeared that the lack of approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals was the project’s only snag with the commission, as members mostly asked clarifying questions about the project and overall seemed excited about it.

Later Tuesday night, representatives from National Development were scheduled to go before the Boston Civic Design Commission, which also has a say in the project.

The former Boston Herald building, and the entire site, actually falls outside of the South End Landmark District Commission’s “district” but within its “protection area,” which has a different set of guidelines.

Even though the commission approved the building’s “demolition,” the building’s foundation would be spared and reused in the project.

The building was constructed in the late 1950s and served as the headquarters of the Boston Herald up until recently, when the newspaper moved to South Boston.