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Boston Redevelopment Authority

 Organization

Historical note

The Boston Redevelopment Authority, established in accordance with General Laws, Chapter 121B, has the sole responsibility for urban renewal activities in the City of Boston. The Authority was organized in September, 1957 and received its certificate of organization from the Secretary of the Commonwealth on October 4, 1957. Chapter 652 of the Acts of 1960 abolished the City Planning Board and transferred its powers to the BRA. The functions, duties, and responsibilities for general city planning and development were merged into one agency. In 1993, Mayor Thomas M. Menino merged the Boston Redevelopment Authority and the Economic Development and Industrial Corporation into a single citywide development agency.

Found in 7 Collections and/or Records:

Boston Redevelopment Authority photographs

 Collection
Identifier: 4010.001
Scope and Contents

Photographs and negatives documenting urban renewal projects, circa 1953-1985. Includes photographs from the West End, Government Center, South Cove, Central Business District, Charlestown and other urban renewal projects. Photographs and negatives are in process and will be added to catalog record when complete.

Dates: Other: circa 1953-1985

Boston Redevelopment Authority publications

 Collection
Identifier: 4010.002
Scope and Contents

Includes annual reports and other publications produced by the Boston Redevelopment Authority.

Dates: 195?-198?

Committee on Urban Renewal records

 Series
Identifier: 0140.030
Scope and Contents

Urban renewal plans and applications referred to the City Council Committee on Urban Renewal. Includes Government Center, West End, Charlestown, Campus High, Downtown-Waterfront-Faneuil Hall, Central Business District and others.

Dates: 1950-1986

Law Department records

 Series
Identifier: 0700.007
Scope and Contents note This collection includes files kept by the City's Law Department on various issues, cases, questions that came before the department during the 20th century. Significant issues, etc. represented in this collection include the Cocoanut Grove Fire, West End Redevelopment, World War, City Real estate holdings, gifts to the city, bridge construction, City Hospital, City Hall construction and many others. The first series includes a numbered reference file that was kept by the Law Department...
Dates: 1908-1997; Majority of material found within Bulk, 1915-1970

South End Project Area Committee (SEPAC) records

 Collection
Identifier: 9707.001
Scope and Contents

Includes minutes, correspondence, reports and issues of the SEPAC newspaper.

Dates: 1969-1981

West End demolition photographs

 Collection
Identifier: 9800.008
Scope and Contents note

This series includes photographs of the demolition of Boston's West End during July and November 1959.

Dates: 1959