Architecture Aberdeen

The Aberdeen Architectural Conservation District Commission (AACDC) meets on the second Thursday of each month to review exterior alterations.

DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS

All exterior work visible from a public way is subject to the review of the AACDC. Submit a complete application by the appropriate deadline to ensure the project will be on the agenda for review and approval by the Commission before beginning any work.

• To save time and costs, review the district Standards & Criteria early in the planning process.
• Review all Instructions and documentation requirements before submitting your application to ensure it is complete. Incomplete applications will not be added to a public hearing agenda.
• Submit your application well in advance of a filing deadline in case it is marked incomplete and additional or revised information needs to be submitted.
• Staff is not available to review applications for completeness immediately upon submittal.
• Do not begin any work, or buy materials, until after you have received confirmation you project has been approved by the Commission.

HISTORY

The Aberdeen section of Brighton (annexed by Boston in 1873) was developed after 1887, with a high degree of architectural unity. The trolley line along Beacon Street helped Aberdeen develop as a “Romantic Suburb” of free-standing residential buildings. The large, ornate houses built along winding roads that follow the land’s natural contours, were intended for Boston commuters on the newly electrified trolley system.

Apartments and other multi-family dwellings first appeared in Aberdeen around 1909 - between 1910 and 1930 the population of Allston-Brighton doubled, which meant more multi-family buildings to accommodate the growing demand, especially by immigrant families drawn to the bucolic image of the Aberdeen area.

Beginning in 1910, a number of one-story commercial blocks were built on the corners of highly trafficked streets, to attract the attention and patronage of the motoring public. By 1920, a new Classical Revival style garage provided for the growing number of automobiles. The structures indicated a shift in the role of the suburb to a place centered more on the automobile and other forms of transit.