<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001246991-21-000057.txt : 20210202
<SEC-HEADER>0001246991-21-000057.hdr.sgml : 20210202
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20210202134345
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001246991-21-000057
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20210129
FILED AS OF DATE:		20210202
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20210202

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			JOHNSTON PETER D
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001337218

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-13087
		FILM NUMBER:		21580189

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		BOSTON PROPERTIES, INC.
		STREET 2:		901 NEW YORK AVENUE, NW
		CITY:			WASHINGTON
		STATE:			DC
		ZIP:			20001

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BOSTON PROPERTIES INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001037540
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS [6798]
		IRS NUMBER:				042473675
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		800 BOYLSTON STREET
		STREET 2:		SUITE 1900
		CITY:			BOSTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02199
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6172363300

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		800 BOYLSTON STREET
		STREET 2:		SUITE 1900
		CITY:			BOSTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02199
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>wf-form4_161229141075395.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2021-01-29</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001037540</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BOSTON PROPERTIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BXP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001337218</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>JOHNSTON PETER D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O BOSTON PROPERTIES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2200 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WASHINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>DC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>20037</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Executive Vice President</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $0.01</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2021-01-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1642</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>17917.3065</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>LTIP Units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2021-01-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4926</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.25</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock, par value $0.01</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4926.0</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>38775</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes an aggregate of 126.33 shares which the Reporting Person acquired on July 1, 2020 and January 4, 2021 pursuant to the Boston Properties, Inc. 1999 Non-Qualified Employee Stock Purchase Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents units of limited partnership interest in Boston Properties Limited Partnership (&quot;BPLP&quot;), of which the Issuer is the general partner,  issued as long term incentive compensation (&quot;LTIP Units&quot;) pursuant to the Issuer's equity based incentive programs. Conditioned upon minimum allocations to the capital accounts of the LTIP Units for federal income tax purposes, each LTIP Unit may be converted, at the election of the holder, into a common unit of limited partnership interest in BPLP (&quot;Common OP Unit&quot;). Each Common OP Unit acquired upon conversion of an LTIP Unit may be presented for redemption, at the election of the holder, for cash equal to the then fair market value of a share of the Issuer's Common Stock, except that the Issuer may, at its election, acquire each Common OP Unit so presented for one share of Common Stock. LTIP Units have no expiration date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The 4,926 LTIP Units vest in four equal annual installments beginning on January 15, 2022.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Kelli A. DiLuglio, as Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2021-02-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
