Historic Boston Inc.'s Trilogy Fund tops $1 million

Historic Boston Inc. has reached -- and surpassed -- the $1 million capital campaign goal of the Trilogy Fund for Historic Boston. The Trilogy Fund was Historic Boston's first major capital campaign in its 53-year history and made possible the survival and rehabilitation of three varied and important historic buildings in diverse neighborhoods of the city of Boston: the Hayden Building in Chinatown, the Kittredge House in Roxbury, and the Vertullo Building in Hyde Park. The Trilogy Fund campaign, launched in June 2012 at the start of reconstruction on the Hayden Building apartments in Chinatown, was chaired by then-mayor Thomas Menino and developer and philanthropist Ronald Druker. "For HBI, completion of the Trilogy Fund's projects is a milestone and an important signal of what's to come." said HBI executive director Kathy Kottaridis. "HBI has grown its capacity to bring distressed historic buildings back in the life of their communities, and we have engaged many new partners and friends in that goal," Kottaridis said. "Success in the Trilogy Fund shows that we're ready for more." The Trilogy Fund's success generated 126 new donors to HBI's projects and enabled HBI to increase the volume of preservation work in its pipeline of historic buildings needing attention. Over the next few months, HBI will hold celebrations to dedicate the completed projects and honor donors to the Trilogy Fund. HBI celebrated the opening of the Hayden Building in 2013 with a festive event in Chinatown. A June celebration is being planned for the Kittredge House's opening, and HBI will dedicate the newly restored storefronts of the Vertullo Building this spring. "We are grateful for the support of so many generous and committed donors to the Trilogy Fund," said Matthew Kiefer, chairman of HBI's board of directors. "They recognize the value of rehabilitating historic buildings so that they can house people, support business growth, and express the rich character of Boston's neighborhoods." Kottaridis said that Historic Boston Inc. is grateful for the extraordinary support of all of the donors to The Trilogy Fund: Those at the Pediment Level, contributing $50,000 or more, include Ronald and Julie Druker; the Millicent C. Starr Charitable Foundation; the 1772 Foundation; the George B. Henderson Foundation; Barbara and Amos Hostetter; Alan and Sherry Leventhal; the Muriel and Norman B. Leventhal Family Foundation, Inc.; the Lewis Family Foundation; the Lynch Foundation; the Winn Companies; the Boston Redevelopment Authority; and the City of Boston Department of Neighborhood Development. Contributors at the Cornice Level, giving $25,000 to $49,000, include the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation; Scott Jenkins; New England Development; Geoffrey Caraboolad; and Metric Construction Corporation. Those at the Capital Level, contributing $10,000 to $24,999, include Robert Beal; John Drew and the Drew Company, Inc.; Edward Lawrence; Millennium Partners; and Marc Truant and Associates. Those at the Column Level, contributing $5,000 to $9,999, include Roger Berkowitz; the John W. Henry Family Foundation; Matthew Kiefer; Alex Krieger; Kathy MacNeil; Paul McDonough; Carolyn Osteen; and Turner Construction Co. Those at the Cornerstone Level, contributing $2,500 to $4,999, include Emily Axelrod; Boston Properties; Ann Beha and Robert Radloff; Andrea and David Gilmore; Drew Leff; Henry Moss; A.W. Perry, Inc.; Robert Verrier; and Shawmut Design and Construction. Those at the Framer Level, contributing $1,000 to $2,499, include ADD Inc; The Boston Foundation; Cresset Management; Joseph Fallon; James Hughes; Stephen Kay; Chrystal Kornegay; Tod McGrath; Kevin Phelan; David Rockwell; Susan Silberberg; Lynne Spencer; and Clayton Turnbull. Many other contributions - from $5 up - made the completion of these three projects possible. The projects benefitting from the Trilogy Fund are: The long-vacant Hayden Building at 681 Washington St. in Chinatown, which was transformed into four handsome market-rate residential units and one commercial retail space. Built in 1875, the Hayden Building is the only commercial building designed by Henry Hobson Richardson remaining in Boston. Revenue from this project will support HBI's overhead and operations. Total development cost was $5.8 million. The Alvah Kittredge House at 10 Linwood St. in Roxbury, a rare high-style Greek Revival period building that was empty for 20 years and seriously distressed. It is now 60% through construction and is scheduled for occupancy in June as five apartments, two of which will be designated as affordable housing. It is scheduled for May completion. Cost is $3.8 million. The Vertullo Building, on Fairmount Avenue in Hyde Park's Cleary Square, an 1868 mixed-use structure with five small business spaces and four residential units. It is in the Main Streets district and is a rare surviving structure from the period in which Hyde Park was founded as a town. The building is undergoing restoration as part of HBI's Historic Neighborhood Centers program and one of Historic Boston's primary mission, supporting commercial district revitalization and foster economic development with the tools of preservation and real estate development. It is being completed this month and is ready for commercial occupancy. Cost is $1.9 million. In addition to The Trilogy Fund contributions, Historic Boston raised $220,000 for these three projects. Contributions to The Trilogy Fund are still welcome. Historic Boston is grateful for donations, which can be made at www.historicboston.org/general/donate/index.html