Charlestown condo is near everything

Residents of Charlestown say it is a wonderful place to live. It is just one square mile, so it’s easy to walk anywhere in town.

Many moved there planning to stay a year or two but, after experiencing the lifestyle, they decided to stay. There is a strong sense of community.

There are museums, marinas, award-winning restaurants, churches of various denominations, a community college, parks, playgrounds, and even a swimming pool.

The North End, TD Garden, and the Rose Kennedy Greenway are pleasant walks away, and New England Aquarium, Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, the Financial District, Government Center, the State House, and Beacon Hill are not much farther.

MBTA trains and buses and even water taxis and ferries are available to travel to far away places. And besides, it was home to John Harvard, whose library was the foundation of Harvard University. His statue stands in Harvard Yard.

Jane Reitz of Keller Williams Realty has listed a renovated three-bedroom, two-bath, eight-room duplex at 30 Oak St. at $668,500.

It has all of the modern amenities but is loaded with original details that give it character and charm. 

The 2,032-square-foot condo includes an eat-in chef’s kitchen, a study, a formal living room, a formal dining room, a family room, a storage room and an enclosed private patio.

The formal dining room has crown molding and a chair rail.

Oak Street is a short tree-lined street that runs between Main Street and Russell Street, and 30 Oak St. is near the intersection of Russell Street, about halfway down Bunker Hill.

Kaitlin O’Brien, Reitz’ assistant, says that Oak Street is rather like living in the suburbs. It is near enough to walk to town but away from all of the stress and hustle and bustle. 

In fact, there is about an acre of urban wilds called Charlestown Overlook nearby and two parks in either direction. The community garden where many Charlestown residents grow their flowers is a little more than three blocks away.

Thirty Oak St. comprises three units within a clapboard Victorian townhouse painted an attractive shade of gray-green with cream and salmon trim.

The front door is up several steps in a cream-colored recessed entry that is paneled in the manner of an inside room. 

A home office has floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and door-sized paned windows that bring lots of light into the room.

Wide sidelights flank the door, and the door itself is paneled in clear glass. A period light fixture hangs in the foyer, and an ornate wooden Victorian mantelpiece decorates one wall. A staircase leads to the other two units.

The door to Unit 1 is across from the stairwell. Inside, a hall runs to the living room at the left, past the dining room and the stairwell, and to the eat-in kitchen to the right.

The ceiling of the formal living room is circled with crown molding. Light from the three front windows make the mellow, original hard pine floors glisten.

The fireplace has been closed, but a carved wooden mantelpiece remains, with bookcases and cabinets on each side. In the wall across from the front windows, French doors open to the dining room.

The dining room features crown molding and a chair rail, and a window overlooks the patio below. Another window gives views of the dining area of the kitchen.

The kitchen fills the entire width of this home. The area on the left is an area for informal dining.

The master bedroom is a grand retreat with its tiled floor and en suite bath.

A built-in china cabinet that is original to the home fills one wall.

It has shelving for china at the top and clear glass sliding doors to protect it. In the bottom half there are drawers for silver and linen on one side and cabinets for storage on the other.

The working kitchen is on the right. A center island topped with granite separates it from the dining area. The base of the island and the custom cabinets are cherry and blend well with the china cabinet and the hard pine floors.

The stainless steel appliances include a Bosch dishwasher, a KitchenAid refrigerator/freezer and a Thermador Professional gas range and hood that includes a holding area where cooked food can be kept warm. One section of the wall is exposed brick.

A handsome door that is probably original opens to the bedroom wing of the home. A large transom above the doorway adds to its appeal.

Just after the hall door, a pantry is on the left and a full bath on the right.

A large wooden vanity with a vessel sink, built between exposed brick columns, lies outside the spa-like master bath.

Then a series of door-size windows with transoms above separate the hall from the study where built-in shelving and windows in three walls, produce an engaging space.

A door across from the study opens to the back stairs that give access to the roof deck. At the end of the hall are two bedrooms.

The master suite is on the garden level of the home where French doors open onto the patio. A tile floor, built-ins and recessed lighting add to the ambiance. The en suite master bath has both a soaking whirlpool tub and a separate shower with overhead and body jets. A family room and a storage room are also on this level.

The home has forced air central heat and air conditioning, two zones of audio, and a customized security system. The roof deck is huge and the views of Boston are spectacular.     

DETAILS

Address: 30 Oak St., Unit 1, Charlestown

BR/BA: Three bedrooms, two baths

Size: 2,032 +/- square feet

Age: Circa 1875; 2004

Price: $668,500

Taxes: $5927 (FY 2011 with residential exemption)

Condo fee: $307 per month

Features of the building: Lovely Victorian town home with appealing entry hall and large roof deck with spectacular views of Boston, the Zakim Bridge, and the upper and lower decks of Route 93.

Features of the unit: Formal living room and dining room, chef’s stainless and granite kitchen, enchanting master suite and master bath, many original features, interior transoms, windows, and doors paneled with glass.

Close by: Parks, playgrounds, restaurants, shops, museums, marinas, TD Garden, the North End, the Rose Kennedy Greenway, Quincy Market, Government Center, Bunker Hill, Bunker Hill Community College. MBTA buses, trains, water taxis, ferries. Easy access to Route 93 north and south, the Airport Tunnels, the Mass Pike.

Contact: Jane Reitz, Keller Williams Realty, 18 Main St., Charlestown, MA 02129. Phones: 617-819-3255 (office) or Cell 617-959-1624 (cell).

Websites: www.kw.com, www.30oakstreet.com or www.premierbostonhomes.com

An open house will be held at this property Sunday, July 31, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.