Another ‘shadow’ lurks

Secretary of State William Galvin has stepped belatedly into the debate over a planned skyscraper in downtown Boston that would cast fleeting shadows on city parks, delaying a required approval. Looks like a transparent bid for relevance from an official who just doesn’t like to be left out of the loop.

The proposed tower in Winthrop Square has won the blessing of the Boston City Council, but needs the Legislature to OK an exemption from the state law governing shadows on downtown parks. Galvin, as head of the Massachusetts Historical Commission, on Tuesday asked a legislative committee to delay that approval so the commission can weigh the impact on Boston Common, the Public Garden and nearby historical sites.

“This is not about whether there is going to be a building — there should be a building,” Galvin told the committee. “This is about the process.” Ah yes, the “process.” The one that has been going on for the better part of a year — including a public vetting by the Boston City Council (which frankly should have had the last word on this).

And since Galvin is citing his role as head of the historical commission, we would remind readers that the shadow laws from which project developers and the Boston Planning and Development Agency are seeking an exemption date all the way back to ... the early 1990s.

As we’ve noted previously, on 101 days of the year, the shadow on the Common would be in compliance with current state law; on the Public Garden, 245 days. And if the building site were a mere two blocks closer to an arbitrary boundary, the building shadow would be within permissible limits on all days — eliminating the need for a home rule petition.

The project will generate thousands of jobs, revitalize a decrepit corner of the city and reap $153 million in revenue for the longterm care of the Common and Franklin Park and for affordable housing. Galvin may see an opportunity to flex his muscles here, but his eleventh-hour objections mustn’t derail this development.