The Hayden Building

About This Project

The Hayden Building, 1875, Boston, MA

The Hayden Building is the only remaining commercial building designed by renowned 19th century American architect Henry Hobson Richardson in Boston. It was purchased by HBI in 1993 when the building was threatened with condemnation after a fire devastated the roof and destabilized the entire structure. HBI invested $1 million at the time in structural stabilization, envelope repairs and activation of the first floor and an adjacent non-historic building for commercial activity.

The Hayden Building’s turnaround helped Lower Washington Streets’ renewal in the 1990s and 2000s. In 2010, HBI sold its interests in the next-door Penang restaurant and rehabilitated the Hayden Building’s long-empty upper stories in 2011-2013 for four market rate apartments over a retail space. Today the Hayden Building is completely restored and fully occupied.