681 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111

Midtown Cultural District-Hayden Building Protection Area

The purpose of this article is to establish the zoning regulations for the comprehensive plan for the Midtown Cultural District as required by the provisions of the Downtown Interim Planning Overlay District, Article 27D of this code. The goals and objectives of this article and the Midtown Cultural District Plan are to direct downtown development in a way that promotes balanced growth for Boston; to prevent overdevelopment of the Financial District and the Back Bay by promoting mixed-use development in Midtown; to revitalize Midtown as the region's center for performing and visual arts by rehabilitating historic theaters and creating new cultural facilities for the city's nonprofit arts community; to protect the quality of life and provide for expansion of the thriving Chinatown neighborhood by creating affordable housing and business opportunities, and by controlling institutional expansion in the area; to preserve Boston's historic resources and public open spaces, which provide enjoyment to all residents and visitors and which increase land values in their proximity, by virtue of historic, aesthetic, and environmentally beneficial qualities; to provide new and expanded facilities for community services; and to create a new residential neighborhood downtown by encouraging the development of housing which is affordable to all segments of the community.