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Boston 3D model shows 129,000 buildings and their effects on surroundings

New online initiative among the first in the nation

The Boston Planning & Development Agency has developed an online 3D map of the city in part to assess how shadows affect parks, landmarks, etc. “We didn’t have the internal ability to assess that before,” BPDA director Brian Golden told the Globe’s Tim Logan.

Boston is among the first cities in the nation to make such modeling widely available.

The map covers 129,000 existing and under-construction buildings, from skyscrapers such as 200 Clarendon and (the future) One Dalton to individual houses and smaller apartment buildings—seriously, go find your home.

The map also allows users to layer on things such as zoning and proximity to schools and T stops. And the new tool will come in handy at public hearings on new developments and zoning changes, officials say.