John Hancock Building

1. 1906

   Nathaniel Blaisdell took offices here.

   Architecture, Planning & Preservation Professionals: A Collection of Biographies, adopted 2021
2. 1958

   Built.

3. 1959

   The John Hancock Building, 1959, by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, with an elevated plaza by Lawrence Halprin.

   Modern Architecture and Landscape Design Context Statement, adopted 2011
4. 1960

   John Hancock Building, designed by Edward Charles Bassett of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

   Architecture, Planning & Preservation Professionals: A Collection of Biographies, adopted 2021
5. Feb 1982

   Permit 8200981 $$$ $1,573

   Additions alterations or repairs.

6. Apr 2001

   Withdrawn Permit 200104056070 $$$ $1,000,000

   Tenant will occupy no change of use.

7. Jun 2009

   Permit 200906220968 $$$ $1,500,000

   Voluntary structural strenghtening existing central concrete shear core fl.2-8 & offset corner columns fl. 1-2. selective demolition & replace of existing portion walls & finishes near & around shear core &offset corner columns. accesib. upgrades on affected floors. frp-mep, life safety under separate permit.

8. Jan 2013

   Permit 201301037160 $$$ $1,000,000

   Tenant improement on 14th fl to construct new partitions, doors, millwork, glazing, finishes in vacant tenant space, mechanical, electrical plumbing included. sprinkerls and fire alarms separate permit. mnofr demolition to upgrade elevator lobby finishes.

9. May 2013

   Permit 201305025973 $$$ $700,000

   Floor 3. office t.i. - new partitions, finishes, lighting. mechanical and electrical under separate permit.

10. Oct 2014

    Permit 201410158912 $$$ $326,100

    T. i on the 12th floor. includes demolition of non structural partitions and lighting construction of new offices, project rooms, amenity spaces and open office as well as non structural walls, new doors including a one hour rated won door, framis, glazing and millwork. new electrical.

11. Apr 2015

    Permit 201504204068 $$$ $1,250,000

    Demolition of existing partitions, finishes and mep system (portion). tenant improvement of single floor including new wall, finishes, power and data outlets. new construction includes offices, conference, work room, break room and storage. n/a ordinance #155-13.

12. Feb 2017

    Permit 201702219735 $$$ $700,000

    10th fl. tenant improvement of single floor including new walls, finishes, power and data outlets. mep and fire life safety under separate permit. n/a maher ordinance.

13. Jan 2018

    Permit 201801229117 $$$ $700,000

    Ti of the existing space on ground level that includes non-structural partitions, doors, fixtures, finishes, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing. maher na.

14. May 2018

    Permit 201805038073 $$$ $1,100,000

    9th fl - work involves modification of existing tenant space to include construction of non-load bearing walls, new suspended ceiling grid & tile & new light fixts, doors & frames, new millwork & new finishes-new fire smoke damper-mep included. fire alarm and sprinklers sep. permit. n/a for maher.

15. Aug 2020

    Permit 202008312950 $$$ $700,000

    Replace existing partially accessible building entrance landing with a new accessible landing. new accessible steps, new accessible sloped walkway and new hand rails.

16. Oct 2020

    Permit 202010066004 $$$ $500,000

    5/f - t.i. new non structural partitions, offices, elevator lobby & corridor lighting & finishes. mep, fire, life safety & sprinkler under separated permit.

17. Nov 2020

    Permit 202011179080 $$$ $540,956

    4th floor. interior tenant improvement. upgrade of multi-use restroom, elevator lobby and suite 450. new fixtures and finishes. mep, fire life safety and sprinkler under seperate permit.

18. Aug 2021

    Permit 202108096065 $$$ $625,000

    Suite 1200: non-structural demolition. t.i. for construction of new partitions, doors and glazing. new millwork, new finishes throughout, ceiling and mep, including lighting, will be reworked as necessary to conform to revised partition layout. fire alarm/sprinklers under sep permits.

19. Aug 2021

    Permit 202108096066 $$$ $625,000

    Suite 1150: non-structural demolition. t.i. for construction of new partitions, doors and glazing. new millwork, new finishes throughout, ceiling and mep, including lighting, will be reworked as necessary to conform to revised partition layout. fire alarm/sprinklers under sep @003k%@aacfb.

20. Aug 2021

    Permit 202108257128 $$$ $750,000

    Interior renovation of the ground and 2nd fl lobby & 2nd fl common areas.

21. Apr 2022

    Permit 202204293308 $$$ $750,000

    2/f: landscape improvement exterior terrace. replace (1) exterior door with inswinging door to provide egress from south terrace.

22. Jun 2022

    Permit 202206277197 $$$ $1,150,000

    8th fl ste 800: interior t.i.. restroom and lobby upgrades. removel of non-structural partitions. new partitions, fixtures, and finishes. mep, fire, life safety, and sprinkler under separate permit.

23. Sep 2024

    Permit 202409261749 $$$ $835,050

    9th fl- ti 11, 1134 sq ft of total floor area. new walls, power, lighting & finishes.

24. Sep 2024

    Permit 202409261750 $$$ $835,050

    11th fl- ti 134 sq ft of total floor area. new walls, power, lighting & finishes.

25. Mar 2025

    Permit 202503172387 $$$ $949,000

    1/fl- alteration of interior buidling tenant amenities in vacant tenant spaces. new conferance center and change of use to a fitness center with new fitness equipment and associated all gender showers.

26. Dec 2025

    Permit 202512030811 $$$ $1,200,000

    Tenant improvement on the 7th fl. demolition of existing light fixtures, new demising walls, new interior partions, dropped ceiling, light power & finishes, mep include.

27. Apr 2026

    Issued Permit 202604239940 $$$ $650,000

    Ground fl - commercial interior ti. remodel existing cafe space with new service counter, floor & ceiling treatments, finishes, equipment and limited partition changes. enlarge existing bathroom for barrier removal. no structural work. no changes to exterior envelope. mep included.

28. Aug 2026

    Filed Permit 202608186744 $$$ $600,000

    Suite 1350. t.i. to include interior demolition. new demising walls, new interior partitions.

DBI holds 396 permits for this parcel, most of them tenant improvements on individual floors. The timeline shows the 24 largest by stated cost, plus the earliest on file; the DBI query in the sources below returns all 396. 3 of them are nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits. 1 cancelled permit is not shown. The city's Modern & Postmodern styles context statement dates this building 1959; the assessor's roll records it as built 1958. A citywide context statement took offices in a building at this address in 1906; the assessor's roll dates the structure on this parcel to 1958. Whether the building described still stands here is unsettled. The Modern design context statement dates the John Hancock Building to 1959 in two places and 1960 in a third.