Boston's Bryant Back Bay features new, intimate lobby
Last week the Bryant Back Bay, the 50-unit boutique Boston residential complex at 303 Columbus Ave., unveiled its redesigned lobby and signature entry.
They are spectacular.
The entry features a cantilevered curved canopy of glass, supported by stainless steel cables. Lights beneath the frame cast a golden glow and illuminate the entrance which features oversized bronze handles in the shape of the double-B Bryant Back Bay signature.
Although the canopy has been in place for a while, the work in the lobby was just recently completed.
“This lobby was meant to create an identity for the Bryant…and we think we’ve achieved that,” said Tracy Campion of Campion and Company who is marketing the remaining floor-through residences. Jillian Reig of Campion is the sales director for the project.
The lobby previously was a large, undefined impersonal space, said Boston-based interior designer Klaus Fuchs of KFI Design. From the vestibule to the elevator banks, it was one huge space.
Fuchs’ solution was to impose an oval shape to the lobby area, and then it all fell into place. “The lobby is more intimate,” he said with satisfaction.
The marble floor features three different shades of tan, taupe and chocolate brown, the last of which picks up the color of the drapery.
A concierge’s desk at the far right side of the lobby comprises dark brown marble as well.
Cove lighting emphasizes the height of the ceiling, which has a dramatic, contemporary Donghia chandelier and deep crown molding.
The understated elegance of the complex is reflected in the furnishings as well.
The double-B insignia of the Bryant Back Bay has been incorporated into the large door handles.
Fuchs included a 200-year-old Biedermeier chest and an antique Biedermeier lamp table to accompany the custom-made sofa and lounge chairs which he designed.
The Bryant Back Bay is more like a co-op in New York City, on Park Avenue, he said. It’s very unusual for a building with only 50 units to have three elevators.
For each elevator bank, he added custom-designed benches, all different and some with scrolled arms, and different consoles.
The elevators ascend from the underground garage and open into the individual residences. Sensors in the elevator allow passengers to travel separately from garage to their unit, said Reig.
About 60 percent of the luxurious residences have been sold, and she is presently marketing three two-bedroom, two-bath condos, ranging in price from $1.675 million to $1.895 million, and five three-bedroom, three-bath homes, listed between $1.55 million and $1.875 million.
The glass canopy designed by Klaus Fuchs is based on an old European art nouveau concept.
What is especially unique is the direct elevator access to the floor-through homes.
“You may find that in a renovated townhouse in the Back Bay, but not in a building like this,” said Fuchs.
Two of the condominiums have been staged to highlight their interiors. Unit 803 is a two-bedroom, two-bath home with 1,793 square feet that also has a 202-square-foot terrace. It is offered at $1.725 million.
The spacious, open living/dining/kitchen area room is at the left of the elevator and foyer, and the wall of windows with their southern exposure fills the room with natural light. In the evening, lights begin to twinkle as the sun sets.
The kitchen boasts custom-built cabinets that have a mahogany stain, echoing the red oak flooring that also has been stained the same tone.
The dark woodwork contrasts dramatically with the counters and center island topped with white Kashmir granite.
Top-of-the-line Viking appliances include a refrigerator and dishwasher with matching panels, a six-burner gas cooktop that is vented outdoors, a convection microwave and a wall oven.
The open living room in Unit 804 has two glass doors that open onto a large terrace.
A hallway leads to a laundry closet with an interior closet for utilities and to a full bath, which has a marble-tiled shower.
The hall ends with doors to the second bedroom, which has a huge walk-in closet, and the master bedroom suite, which has a huge walk-in closet and a large, lavish en suite bath. Both bedrooms are carpeted.
Botticino marble is used beautifully throughout this room. A large piece tops the vanity with double sinks, and a big soaking tub is set into a marble deck. The floor tiles are marble too. The frameless glass-enclosed shower has marble tiles also.
In addition, a balcony runs along the width of both bedrooms.
The other model is in No. 706, a three-bedroom, three-bath condo with 2,097 square feet of living space. It is listed at $1.875 million.
Its living/dining/kitchen area is slightly longer and narrower than the other model and quite comfortable. The kitchen is identically furnished, and a nice dining space has been created in front of the center island.
Another room next to the living room includes an en suite bath with a shower and could be used as a home office or a second bedroom.
Off the foyer is a laundry closet with a utility room and a hall that leads to the third bedroom and the master suite. A balcony is outside the bedroom windows.
The carpeted master bedroom boasts a walk-in closet with California Closet built-ins and an en suite bath that includes the same sumptuous finishes as in the other master baths.
The master baths in all of the residences are lavish. The soaking tub is set into a deck of Botticino marble, which also is used atop the vanity.
The bath for the third bedroom is off the hall and has a marble-tiled shower. Next to the bath is a linen closet.
Each condominium at the Bryant Back Bay includes a deeded parking space near the appropriate elevator in the three-story, below-ground, 83-car garage.
Reig said additional parking is available for sale. In addition, the garage includes extra storage for each condo.
The residences are cable- and Internet-ready, and the building is pet friendly. Bryant Back Bay has a resident manager as well as Tillinger’s Concierge service. Barkan Management is providing management services.
DETAILS
Address: The Bryant Back Bay, 303 Columbus Ave., Back Bay
BR/BA: Two- and three-bedroom floor-through units, two or three baths
Size: Ranging fro 1,585 to 2,097 square feet
Price: Ranging from $1.55 million to $1.875 million
Taxes: To be determined
Condo fees: Ranging from approximately $1,107 to $1439 per month
Close by: Copley Square, many shops, restaurants cultural amenities in the Back Bay and South End; easy access to Back Bay Amtrak Station and MBTA Orange Line, MBTA Green Line at Copley Square, Route 90 (Mass. Pike).
Contact: Tracy Campion or Jillian Rieg, sales director at Bryant Back Bay, 303 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA 02116, marketed by Campion and Company Real Estate. Phones: 617-699-3568 (sales office) or 617-236-0711 (main office).
Websites: www.bryantbackbay.com or www.campionre.com.
An open house will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, May 2. The property also may be seen by appointment.
