Developer creates elegant condos in Boston's Back Bay
The double house at 45-47 Commonwealth Ave. in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood is undergoing a serious, significant transformation from ugly duckling to graceful swan.
Built in 1869 in the French Academic style, during a period when the city was enamored with all things French, the two combined houses are among nine contiguous houses built between 1864 and 1873 on the second block from the Public Garden.
Today the mirror-image houses are being renovated for five magnificent condominiums.
Matthew Piccione, principal of Piccione Development, is the developer of the elegant homes, and Karen Tedeman of Hammond Residential Real Estate is marketing the residences.
Three have three-plus bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths and are listed at prices between $4.45 million to $4.5 million. The penthouse, No. 5, has three bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths, plus a 900-square-foot roof deck. It is listed at $4.5 million.
No. 1, the first-floor and garden-level duplex, has a separate entrance at No. 47 Commonwealth and is under agreement, she said. It was priced at $7.2 million and will include six bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths and private backyard space.
The residences will be ready for occupancy by the end of the summer. Piccione intends to plant a smaller magnolia tree to complement the existing tree, which now is in flower.
Elijah C. Drew, a lumber merchant, banker and local politician, built the homes between 41 and 47 Commonwealth Ave. He kept 41 Commonwealth as his home and sold the other three.
Throughout the years, the houses changed ownership several times and uses; in 1923 apartments were built at 45 Commonwealth; in 1942, 47 Commonwealth became a lodging house.
By 1963, under single ownership, more apartments were created within the buildings, party walls were cut through and a penthouse was added. It was ugly, clad in aluminum.
A subcontractor, Scolastico Masonry, has restored the cartouches above the entrance and the center bay windows.
The Landmarks Commission described the mansard roof and penthouse as “inappropriate alterations,” in its review of the current redevelopment. The Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay said the property had been “sorely neglected.”
Piccione painstakingly has restored the brownstone exterior with double bays, demolishing the fourth and fifth floors with the aluminum-sided penthouse and replacing them with a more traditional mansard roof and façade, similar to other nearby townhouses.
The fifth floor living space was pushed back, creating a nice terrace. A 932-square-foot private mahogany roof deck was added that would not be visible from the street.
Fluted Corinthian capitals flank the double entrance that is topped with a balustrade.
The cartouches above the doorways and center window of the bays have been replicated to reflect the incised ornamentation of their original grandeur.
Wide brownstone steps lead up to the recessed entry to the units.
Inside is a wide foyer that will feature a red oak parquet pattern.
Wainscoting will adorn the foyer and stairhall, and the base of the stairs will boast an original newel post that is being restored.
The fluted columns with the Corinthian capitals are a signature of the French Academic-style homes built in the Back Bay in the late 1800s.
Beyond the stairs and behind a door will be the elevator, which will provide direct access from the garage to each unit.
Tedeman said the elevator is quiet, the same kind used at the Mandarin Oriental.
The interiors of Nos. 2, 3 and 4 will be nearly identical, but Piccione has selected various granites to distinguish each unit from the others. At the front of each unit is an expansive living/dining room with a gas fireplace. Piccione has salvaged the original marble mantelpieces and will use them here. Off the living room will be a spacious study.
In No. 2, a delightful balcony above the balustrade overlooks the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, and off the second bedroom and master bedroom is a Juliet balcony.
Adjoining the living/dining room is a large family room with an open kitchen that will be equipped with top-of-the-line appliances, such as a Wolf six-burner gas range, a Wolf convection wall oven and microwave. The Asko dishwasher and Sub-Zero refrigerator will be paneled that will match the custom-built maple cabinetry.
Calacatta Gold granite counters will rim the kitchen, and subway tiles of the same stone will serve as a backsplash. Next to the kitchen will be a laundry with a Whirlpool Duet washer and dryer.
The granite in the other condos will be Cosmic Black, Costa Rosa or Black Forest.
Radiant heat lies beneath the quarter-sawn red oak flooring used throughout these residences.
In the baths there are varying patterns of marble – Ephesus cream tiles with honed blue haze accents or Oasis Blue basketweave tile with Blue Lagos dots or Carrara basketweave marble with Thassos accents.
The powder room, located next to a coat closet off the foyer, has oak flooring.
Each bedroom has an en suite bath. In the smaller rooms, one has a shower with a stone bench while the other has a deep tub.
The views from the living rooms of the condos include the Commonwealth Avenue Mall and Back Bay skyscrapers.
The master suite includes two walk-in closets; built-in drawers like those found in Victorian homes have been added outside these closets. The master baths will have both a glass-enclosed shower and a soaking tub. The Ocean Blue stone vanity will have two oval undermount sinks. Polished nickel Waterworks fixtures will include a hand-held shower, showerhead and body sprays.
The penthouse, No. 5, is smaller, with 2,519 square feet of living space, but has a terrace that is 53 feet long, the full width of the double house. The living/dining area is on the west side of the building and has a gas fireplace.
The eat-in kitchen opposite the living room features a center island that holds a double bowl undermount sink.
In the middle of the condo is a flight of stairs that turns and opens out to the roof deck.
Amenities throughout the building include wiring for surround sound, TV and entertainment, high-velocity air conditioning and multi-zoned gas-fueled radiant heat. In addition, each unit has a separately metered water line.
Best of all, each home includes two deeded parking spaces in a garage beneath the building.
Piccione has worked in Greater Boston for two decades; most recently, he developed a five-unit building on Beacon Hill and renovated a three-unit building on Marlborough Street.
DETAILS
Address: 45 Commonwealth Ave., Back Bay
Unit 3: Three-plus bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, 2,805 square feet; $4.45 million
Unit 4: Three-plus bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, 2,899 square feet; $4.475 million
Unit 2: Three-plus bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, 2,807 square feet; $4.5 million
Unit 5: Three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, 2,519 square feet; $4.5 million
Age: 1869; 2009-2010
Taxes and condo fees: To be determined
Features of building: Constructed as a magnificent double house in the French Academic style, it has been completely renovated to include five floor-through units that span the width of both buildings; new elevator and new underground garage.
Close by: Public Garden, Arthur Fiedler Bridge to Esplanade and Hatch Shell, Back Bay restaurants, shops and galleries on Newbury and Boylston streets and Beacon Hill’s Charles Street; Boston Public Library; Copley Place and Prudential Center, within walking distance of Arlington Street MBTA Green Line station and Orange Line and commuter rail and Amtrak at Back Bay Station; easy access to Storrow Drive and connecting highways.
Contact: Karen Tedeman, Hammond Residential Real Estate, 29 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02116. Phones: 617-536-3335 (office) or 617-821-3369.
Websites: www.hammondre.com or www.45comm.com
This property may be seen by appointment.
