Charlestown three-family is converted to condos 

It was slightly more than 100 years ago that Jeremiah P. O’Riordan, son of a prominent Charlestown builder and contractor named Patrick O’Riordan, obtained a building permit to construct a six-unit apartment house at 8-10 Prospect St. The application was dated June 4, 1903.

W.H. Besarick was the architect of this handsome three-story Queen Anne/Georgian Revival building on a tree-lined, gas-lit street, just a short distance away from the Bunker Hill Monument.

Limestone frames the double entrance, and the lintels on the center windows feature keystones. The buildings also have two-story, copper-clad oriels decorated with sunbursts. The cornice is copper too with dentil ornamentation.

A researcher at the Mass. Historical Commission described the building as an “example of solid, well executed, turn-of-the-century masonry multi-family housing.”

The attached buildings at Nos. 8 and 10 Prospect have been under separate ownership for decades, and No. 8 was converted to three condominiums in 2000. Now No. 10 has been converted to condos as well.

Each unit has two bedrooms and two baths, yet they have distinctions as well. Jennifer Schneider of Century 21 Elite Realty is marketing them.

The main entry to the building is a heavy door with two panes of inset glass. Sidelights flank the door, and a huge transom surmounts the entry. (The entrance to No. 8 is nearly identical).

Inside No. 10 is a vestibule with a mosaic floor; the walls and ceiling are paneled in oak, partly with bead board, and steps lead to a second door with a single pane of glass.

The new kitchens boast cherry cabinets, granite counters and stainless steel appliances.

The building has a side hall floor plan, and the oak staircase features a carved newel post. The foyer has bead board as well.

A hallway is just inside the entry of Unit 1. To the right are the two bedrooms, each with large closet space. The master bedroom includes an en suite bath with a ceramic tile floor and a combination whirlpool soaking tub and shower. The vanity is topped with granite.

In the other direction is the second bath, which is furnished with a glass-enclosed shower and a pedestal sink.

The main living spaces are at the back of this floor plan and are open to each other. The living room is next to the dining room and kitchen and includes a stunning china cabinet that stretches to the nearly 10-foot-high tray ceiling,

Inside the cabinet are shelves edged with carved scrolls, which is an unusual, rich detail for a home of this period; below are built-in drawers. A dining room closet has a shelf with the same detail.

The dining rooms feature hutch-like cabinetry with a wine refrigerator and wine rack.

Transoms above all the doorways are another original element of this home. In the olden days, the transoms would be opened to allow breezes to waft through the apartment.

The kitchen is thoroughly modern. Granite counter space is abundant, and a two-level peninsula serves as a breakfast bar with seating for two. Pendant lights are suspended above the bar. The deep stainless steel sink is set into the lower level.

Stainless steel appliances include a four-burner gas range, a Kenmore microwave and a Kenmore dishwasher. The refrigerator has yet to be installed. Next to this space is another counter, topped with granite.

Custom cherry cabinetry lines the walls of the kitchen, and outside the area is more cabinetry that holds a wine rack and a wine refrigerator. Two of the wall cupboards have glass insets.

This unit has a hookup for a washer and dryer in the heated basement, where storage space has been set aside for each condo. In addition, Unit 1 has exclusive use of a patio outside the kitchen.

The master bath is large with a granite-topped vanity and a combination whirlpool tub/shower.

Units 2 and 3 have identical floor plans, with both bedrooms at the front of the house. The master bedroom, which has a three-window oriel, has views of the USS Constitution’s mast and the Commodore’s House at the Charlestown Navy Yard.

Unit 2 is slightly more elaborate, as it has a wooden mirrored mantelpiece accented with garlands next to the china cabinet in the living room.

This unit has been staged, creating an interesting living space. In the hallway between the living/dining/kitchen area and the bedrooms are a full bath with a combination tub/shower and a laundry room with hookups.

Unit 3 does not have the mantelpiece, but the woodwork here is shiny dark oak, including the chair rail. (The rail and other woodwork are painted white in Unit 2.)

Off the kitchen is a flight of oak stairs that lead up to a 240-square-foot roof deck, where the views are panoramic, sweeping across the Inner Harbor to the TD Garden, the Zakim Bridge and beyond.

The second bedroom in Units 2 and 3 has a wide window overlooking Prospect Street.

Both Units 2 and 3 have access to the deck. The condos have central air conditioning and a forced hot air by gas heating system.

DETAILS

Address: 10 Prospect St., Charlestown

BR/BA: Two bedrooms, two baths

Unit 1: 1,000 square feet, $499,000. Condo fee: $170 per month 

Unit 2: 1,100 square feet, $529,000. Condo fee: $175 per month 

Unit 3: 1,000 square feet, $549,000. Condo fee: $175 per month

Age: 1903; 2010-2011 

Taxes: To be determined 

Features of building: Three-story brick Queen Anne/Georgian Revival building with two-story, copper-clad oriel; ornate ornamentation above doorway and second story window and around cornice; entry door with glass insets, sidelights and large transom; large paneled vestibule and foyer with staircase; pet friendly. Much of neighborhood is resident-only parking. 

Features of units: Sleek kitchens with granite counters, breakfast bar and wine counter; stainless steel appliances; custom cabinets; hardwood floors throughout. Unit 1 has a bath with a glass-enclosed shower; all other baths have combination shower/tubs; Units 2 and 3 have access to roof deck; Unit 1 has a patio; all have access to full heated basement with storage.

Close by: Bunker Hill Monument and the Training Field, Boston’s historic Freedom Trail; close to Charlestown Navy Yard and USS Constitution; Bunker Hill Community College; convenient to Boston’s North End; easy access to Route 93 and MBTA bus routes.

Contact: Jennifer M. Schneider, Century 21 Elite Realty, 253 Main St., Charlestown, MA 02129. Phones: 617-241-5566 (office) or 617-733-8211 (cell).

Website: www.c21elite.com

This property may be seen by appointment.