The Massachusetts administration, under Governor Maura Healey, has unveiled a new housing-centric proposal for the controversial Boston Government Service Center designed by Paul Rudolph and opened in 1971. Previously proposed to be redeveloped by the architecture office NBBJ with offices and commercial spaces, the updated vision aims to transform the Erich Lindemann and Charles F. Hurley buildings into housing facilities as part of the state’s goal to address the housing crisis while allowing for the historic preservation of the Brutalist structure.
This represents a change in direction, as in 2019, the Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) began to assess the possibilities of redevelopment of the site. One of the four scenarios presented by the DCAMM involved the complete demolition of the Hurley Building. Preservationists and architects opposed the demolition, highlighting the building’s historical importance. With the support of the Docomomo and the Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation, plans for the complete demolition were scrapped. In 2022, the DCAMM approved plans for a mixed-use office and life sciences laboratory redevelopment of the complex, a proposal designed by architecture firm NBBJ.
The Boston Government Service Center represents one of the major components of the Government Center complex in downtown Boston. It comprises two connected buildings, the Charles F. Hurley Building and the Erich Lindemann Building, in addition to a courtyard. As the coordinating architect on the project, Paul Rudolph infused the project with a monumental and grandiose quality, envisioning the complex as an amphitheater for civic. The walls of the complex are created with bush-hammered concrete, also known as "corduroy concrete," a signature of Rudolph’s architectural language. The initial proposal also included a 23-story-high Health, Welfare, and Education tower to house the namesake governmental departments, but it was never built.
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The Refurbishment and Adaptive Reuse of Brutalist ArchitectureThe decision to introduce housing units in the Brutalist buildings was applauded by housing advocates, as an initiative that encourages housing production on key state-owned parcels. This aligns with other initiatives in the city aiming to increase the housing stock. In 2023, the Boston Planning & Development Agency launched an incentive program rewarding developers willing to transform office spaces into residential units.
The site remains architecturally significant due to its unique mid-century design, and the Administration will prioritize historic preservation in the renewed redevelopment process. – Press release of the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance
In recent years, refurbishment and adaptive reuse have gained prominence in architectural discourse as the profession increasingly focuses on issues like waste, resource use, and embedded carbon emissions. Several Brutalist structures such as the Mäusebunker and the Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology in Berlin, and the San Siro Stadium in Milano, have been saved from demolition by organizations highlighting their cultural and historical significance. However, refurbishment plans for brutalist buildings can be seen as more challenging than those for other structures due to their inherent qualities.
