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MCKIM, MEAD & WHITE, ARCHITECTS

124. Boston Public Library, Boston, Mass., initial design, 1888.

125. Boston Public Library, perspective across Copley Square. *American Architect and Building News*, May 26, 1888.

126. Drawing room of the Appleton-McKim house, Boston, c. 1888, converted to a temporary branch office. On the wall to the left is the rendering of the initial design [124]; below it is the perspective of Copley Square [125]. Photo: L. M. Roth; MM&W Archive, NYHS.

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127. Boston Public Library, plans of ground floor and first floor, 1888.
*American Architect and Building News*, May 26, 1888.

128. Boston Public Library, plaster model of final design as presented to the public, 1888.

The addition to the Boston Public Library is, like the Bobst Library at NYU, built around a central court (see preceding page). The facade (opposite page, above) echoes the classicism of the original McKim, Mead and White building. The plan is more frankly classical (below), consisting of nine squares, including the court. A typical square is the reading room with open stacks (opposite page below).

LOWER LEVEL FLOOR PLAN

MEZZANINE PLAN

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

BOYLSTON ST.

SECOND FLOOR PLAN

EXETER STREET

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Clearing the tangle that clogged the site necessitated major realignment of the turnpike's three-way off-ramp. One little-used ramp to Dartmouth Street was simply eliminated, much to the relief of its South End neighbors. More radically, the ramp that had led to Huntington Avenue was moved inside the Prudential Center ramp and now curves tightly to empty on Stuart Street, which was also realigned.