YWCA Boston
Also known as: Boston YWCA
Why it's listed
Rising thirteen stories at the corner of Clarendon and Stuart Streets in Boston's Back Bay, this brick and limestone building opened in 1929 as the headquarters of the Boston YWCA. Shepard & Stearns designed it in a Neo-Classical Revival manner, with an arched limestone entry porch, engaged columns, rosettes, dentil cornices and carved swags. Inside, it combined a swimming pool, gymnasium, bowling alleys, auditorium, classrooms, offices and residential floors for working women and transient guests. The Boston YWCA was the first official YWCA in the country, founded in 1866, and the building reflects the organization's growth and its move toward a more inclusive, secular membership. The project cost about $1.6 million and was funded through a public campaign. Later changes include a 1978 renovation, an altered Stuart Street entrance and new tenants, but the gymnasium and main staircase remain largely original. The building is significant for its social history and its classical design.
Significance in brief: The building is tied to the history of the YWCA, whose Boston branch was the first official YWCA in the country, dating to 1866. It is a 'combination building' that put residences, a pool, a gymnasium, classrooms and offices under one roof. Its classical design and monumentality represent the early 20th-century trend of YWCA buildings being erected as institutional monuments.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 04000119, listed March 3, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 140 Clarendon St., Boston |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | March 3, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000119 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1929-1953 |
| Architect / builder | Shepard, George E. & Frederic Stearns (architects); Root, Henry (builder) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th-20th Century Revival: Neo-Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used by the YWCA, with a restaurant, a theatre company, non-profit tenants and apartments; interior partly altered, notably in the 1970s and 1991. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Back Bay Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.35036, -71.07536 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 04000119.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8046070
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.