{"nrhp_refnum":"98001082","name":"Boston Young Men's Christian Association","other_names":["YMCA of Greater Boston","Central Branch","Huntington Ave. YMCA"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"312-320 Huntington Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Boston","county":"Suffolk County","state":"MA","lat":42.341824624000026,"lon":-71.02918823799996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1998-08-20","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture","Education","Social History"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A seven-story tan brick and terra cotta Classical Revival building at 312-320 Huntington Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts, built 1911-13 as the central branch of the Boston YMCA.","why_significant":"It housed the main branch of an influential educational and social service institution and was the birthplace of Northeastern University. It also reflects the growth of cultural and educational institutions in the Fenway area. Architecturally, it is a well-preserved, major work of the Boston firm Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge.","narrative":"Rising seven stories along Huntington Avenue in Boston, this tan brick and terra cotta building was designed by Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge and built in 1911-13 for the YMCA's central branch at a cost of $1.5 million. It combines three connected blocks: an Administration Building, an Education Building and a Gymnasium. Lavish terra cotta ornament marks the three entrances and the cornice, and the lobby, vestibule and reception hall keep their paneled finishes. The building was listed for its role in Boston's social and educational history. The Boston association was the first YMCA in the United States, and its evening and vocational schools became the core of Northeastern University. The building also belongs to the early twentieth-century growth of cultural and educational institutions in the Fenway, near Symphony Hall and the New England Conservatory. Former dormitory floors now hold apartments and residential units, and the property is recognized for architecture and local significance.","period_of_significance":"1911-1948","architect_builder":"Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, architects; Woodbury and Leighton, builder","architectural_style":"Classical Revival","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Still in YMCA-related use. The former dormitory floors of the Administration Building were converted in a certified rehabilitation into 22 family apartments and 66 residential units. The Gymnasium's upper openings contain plywood inserts.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:13:05.055561-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/23/7969/63796923/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/98001082.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/98001082/5878199cab-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/98001082/5878199cab-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Biruitorul","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:YMCABoshq.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Biruitorul</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:YMCABoshq.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63796923","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YMCA_Boston","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4948209"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/suffolk-county/boston-young-mens-christian-association-98001082/"}