A magnificent Back Bay property in a superb location has just been listed by Rob Cohen of Boston Realty Advisors.

Meticulously renovated, it is Unit 2 at 249 Marlborough St. with 1,810 +/- square feet of living space.

Every inch of the duplex has been given careful attention to produce an unforgettable residence.

It has a beautiful living room, an exquisite dining room, a versatile family room/breakfast room/guest room, two full baths, three fireplaces, a stunning chef’s kitchen and a wonderful master bedroom. There are also two deeded adjacent, off-street parking spaces included in the $1.424 million price.

The home is one of five condominiums in a French Academic style brick building with Queen Anne ornamentation built in 1880. The firm of Bradlee and Winslow designed this building for Otis Norcross.

It is unclear whether the original owner was the former mayor of Boston, who died in 1882, or his son Otis (1842-1923). The younger Otis, a graduate of Harvard and Harvard Law School, was the owner when he had the mansard roof removed and replaced by a parapet wall in 1916.

Beneath the second floor windows and in the center of the pediment above the front door are beautiful brick designs.

A black cast iron fence encloses the front garden where Lenten roses have been blooming since spring and astilbe, coral bells, ladies mantle, and day lilies have just started blooming.

This brick townhouse was constructed in 1880.

A cast iron fence with a center gate also encloses the brick paved plaza in front of the home. Front stairs run from the plaza to the parlor level of the home. A second entrance to Unit 2 is through a door beneath the stairs.

The lobby on the parlor level is beautiful. The white marble floor lined with pink marble and the paneled wainscoting walls are original. A staircase and an elevator in the lobby lead to other units.

Handsome double doors in the lobby open to Unit 2.

Inside, the immediate reaction is “wow.” The floors of white marble veined in gray have insets of black slate. To the right, white Tuscan columns separate the dining room from the hallway that leads on to the family room.  

Ahead, a beautiful stairwell goes down to the lower level. To the left the marble floor changes to hardwood in a herringbone pattern in the elegant living room.

The walls of the entry hallway are beautifully hand-painted to look like antique silk wallpaper.

The living room of Unit 2 at 249 Marlborough St. is absolutely exquisite.

The living room is amazing. Gorgeous, extra wide decorated crown molding circles the ceiling.

The angled bay at the front of the building is so large that the baby grand piano there looks small.

The three large windows in the bay let in much light and give views up and down Marlborough Street.

A wood-burning fireplace is surrounded by an elegantly patterned marble mantelpiece.

The dining room is reminiscent of a French palace. The coffered ceiling has white beams and silver-leafed centers. Large mirrors divided by white pilasters reflect the columns, the marble floor, the crystal chandelier, the painted hallway wall, and the coffered ceiling. 

In the hallway, what looks like a solid wall hides the door to a full marble bath.

The versatile family room is also lovely. What appears to be a custom carpet covers the floor. A sofa bed sits between and under built-in cabinets and bookcases.

The family room, which is adjacent to the spacious kitchen, can serve as a breakfast room as well.

Two matching sconces above the sofa provide extra light for reading. 

In the next wall, the wood-burning fireplace is surrounded by a black marble mantelpiece veined in gray.

Above it is a 50-inch HD flat-screen television that is included in the sale. 

More built-ins are in the fireplace wall and across from it, and opposite the sofa wall, a bay holds a built-in banquette seating area where informal meals or board games can be enjoyed.

A wide doorway opens to the beautiful kitchen.

The custom white wooden cabinets are paneled. Some of the appliances – an ASKO dishwasher, a Scotsman ice machine and a Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer – are paneled to match the cabinets.

The carpeted family room features a wood-burning fireplace; the 50-inch HD flat-screen television is included in the sale.

The Thermador range with top gas burners and the wall-mounted microwave are white to blend into the panorama. White marble veined in gray covers the countertops.

The sumptuous master bedroom suite on the second level includes a built-in bookcase, a bay with three large windows covered with plantation shutters, a wood-burning fireplace, hardwood floors and specialty closets, including one containing a built-in chest and another that is cedar-lined. 

A walk-in closet with hanging rods on one side and shelving on the other leads to the en suite master bath. The spa-like marble bath has twin basins on each side of the sitting area of the vanity that is covered with marble. 

A deep whirlpool-soaking tub has additional jets at the end that provide back massages. A glass wall is between the tub and the separate marble shower.

A door in the bedroom leads to the exterior door beneath the front stairs. In the hall outside the bedroom, a closet holds the Maytag Neptune clothes washer and dryer. 

The master bedroom on the lower level has a wood-burning fireplace, an en suite bath and custom closets, including one that is cedar-lined.

Another door leads to the common hallway going to the back door of the building where two tandem parking spaces belong to this unit.

An elevator in the hallway allows groceries to be easily carried from the car to the kitchen level.

DETAILS

Address: 249 Marlborough St., Unit 2, Back Bay

BR/BA: One-plus bedroom, two baths

Size: 1,810 +/- square feet

Age: 1880; 1986; 2006

Price: $1.424 million

Size: 1,810 +/- square feet

Taxes: $13,854 (FY 2011 with residential exemption)

Condo fee: $505 per month 

Features of building: Charming front garden, beautiful lobby, brick paved back parking area, elevator.

Features of unit: Elegant living space with spectacular living room, amazing dining room, versatile family room; three wood-burning fireplaces; wall-mounted 50-inch HD television and Dolby surround sound; beautiful chef’s kitchen with top appliances; luxurious master suite with spa-like marble bath; laundry closet and cedar closet; Gemini Computerized Security System; two zones of forced air heating and air conditioning; two off-street adjacent parking spaces.

Close by: The Public Garden, the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, Newbury Street shops and restaurants, Arthur Fiedler Footbridge to the Esplanade, MBTA transportation; easy access to Routes 90 and 93.

Contact: Robert Cohen, Boston Realty Advisors, 745 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116. Phones: 617-375-7900 (office) or 617-962-0142 (cell).

Websites: www.bradvisors.com or www.robbcohen.com

This property may be seen by appointment.