About partners for livable

Beacon Hill, Boston. Photo credit: col.

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Cultural Heritage Tourism
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Through an extensive planning process, rehabilitation projects, and educational programs, HBI’s 
goals and expectations are to retain Boston’s heritage, stimulate economic development, and 
have citizens connect with the unique history and cultural development of their community. 
Nineteen Main Street commercial districts were sent surveys by HBI to measure their awareness 
of the historic properties located within their commercial district and to receive vital information 
regarding their neighborhood. HBI received a 50% response rate and the information collected 
demonstrated that these commercial districts possessed unique Boston histories and distinct 
architectural styles, yet the Main Street organizations were limited in technical expertise and 
lacked the interpretive ability to comprehend the inherent community significance of these 
properties.
Two Main Streets commercial districts were selected for the initial development of the Historic 
Neighborhood Centers Initiative: Fields Corner in Dorchester and Cleary and Logan Squares in 
Hyde Park. Local stakeholders involved in the planning processes included business and property 
owners, civic leaders, community organizations, and the public. Each was engaged through 
meetings and focus groups to understand the benefits of creating a district, prioritize each district 
need, and create work plans for the project-focused implementation phase of the initiative. 
Success of the program will be predicated on the public and other vested parties understanding of 
the historical significance of the area and participating in each phase of the project.
A survey of buildings of interest and meetings will be held to determine the most important 
projects to focus upon. Once completed, finances will be allocated accordingly and private grant 
funding resources will be identified. Work will be conducted over the course of a two to five year 
period. 
revolviNg FuNd Program
HBI doesn’t operate as an advocacy organization, though it complements the advocacy work of 
the Boston Preservation Alliance and similar organizations by addressing the challenges of the 
city and confronting important historic preservation issues. Separating physical redevelopment 
from advocacy work has allowed HBI to focus on its Revolving Fund strategies. Critical in the 
operation of HBI, the Revolving Fund program allows for the organization to acquire properties 
of historical, architectural or cultural community significance and then restore these structures for 
new economically practical uses. From the sale of these properties, profits are revolved into the 
next project. This flexible funding source allows HBI to be a non-profit redevelopment agent of 
historic structures.
The fund uses feasibility studies that guide project selection and encourage development of 
historic sites by other organizations. Criteria for selecting a structure include designation as a 
Boston Landmark or listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Furthermore, buildings 
must be in a state of physical deterioration, underutilized, and most importantly, a potential 
catalyst for community revitalization if the structure is of such value to a community that its 
restoration would serve this function. HBI also publicizes a Revolving Fund casebook every five 
years that identifies the 40 most endangered historic properties in the city. The casebook offers 
factual and pictorial information for each property and a description of future planning activities. 
The properties documented in the casebook then usually become the properties on which
HBI focuses their efforts.

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Cultural Heritage Tourism
HBI has maintained two of its rehabilitation projects – the Old Corner Bookstore buildings and 
the H.H. Hayed Building in Chinatown. These two long-term investment properties generate 
annual income and serve as collateral loans when conducting other Revolving Fund projects. 
Based on the success of its Revolving Fund management, HBI has been afforded the opportunity 
to offer its management services pro bono or for a reduced rate to other non-profit organizations 
and developers conducting restoration and rehabilitation projects.
sTeePles ProjecT
Concentrating on religious structures, the mission of the Steeples Project is to preserve historic 
houses of worship in an innovative strategy of community and neighborhood revitalization. 
Serving as the foundation for many inner-city neighborhoods, the project provides a competitive 
matching grant program to congregations irrespective of faith, and also funds technical assistance, 
major building repairs, exterior lightning, and long-term planning practices for building use, 
maintenance, and preservation. To qualify, the structure must be an active house of worship, listed 
or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, and congregations must support 
their communities through vital social and educational programs.
The program has awarded over $1.4 million, raised from 15 corporations and foundations, to 
53 houses of worship in Boston. An additional $13 million in investments have been leveraged 
from the grants that have funded preservation and maintenance projects, with the majority of 
investment in major repair projects. Through its restorative efforts, the Steeples Project provides 
the resources necessary to empower congregations to become building stewards and promote 
strong and healthy neighborhoods.