The Macallen offers green living
From the beginning, developer Tim Pappas of Pappas Properties set out to create an environmentally friendly or green building that would achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.
The Macallen Building at 141 Dorchester Ave. at the edge of Seaport, bordering the South End and South Boston, has done that and more, achieving a LEED Gold certification for its sustainable design and a Top 10 award from the American Institute of Architects’ Committee on the Environment last year.
And in June, the American Society of Landscape Architects gave an honor award to the project.
Pappas’ team included Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann Associates, architects, along with the architectural firm of Office dA, the structural engineering firm of Simpson Gumpertz & Heger and Bovis Lend Lease, the general contractor. Landworks Studio was the landscape architect.
Completed after Pappas redeveloped the adjacent old brick Court Square Press Building, which has 132 condos, the Macallen is a 14-story mixed-use complex with 140 residences, plus four retail spaces on the street level.
(Sophia’s Café, South Boston Yoga and Avanti Salon South are located in the Macallen Building; Gloria’s Gourmet Food Market will open in the Court Square Press Building in February.)
Between the two buildings, about 80 percent of the condos have been sold, said Rob Cohen of Boston Realty Advisors, who is marketing the condos at the Macallen.
Built on a former asphalt parking lot overlooking the highway interchange and the MBTA’s Cabot Yard, it was constructed with many recycled materials, including structural steel, concrete and aluminum. The exterior has a brick façade on the east and glass on the west.
The corner living room in Unit 301 offers expansive views of the city. This condo is listed at $1.325 million.
Within its footprint is an open three-story garage that serves residents of both buildings. A 20,000-square-foot landscaped terrace with a raised deck and a 60-foot lap pool was created above it.
A large community room opens onto the terrace, which has seating areas and three gas grills. The function room is equipped with a huge drop-down screen and projector, blackout shades and Wi-Fi, and it has a kitchen and bathroom.
Renewable resources such as carbonized bamboo floors, cork or grasscloth wall coverings and recycled ceiling tiles are evident, but particularly friendly to the environment is the indoor air quality along with the absence of noise.
The outdoor air is filtered with charcoal before introduction into each unit, and the intake and exhaust ducts are monitored for carbon monoxide. The building is smoke-free.
Floor-to-ceiling glass and operable windows provide abundant light as well as fabulous views around the clock.
Thirty-four different floor plans were designed for the Macallen, and four condos have been staged to highlight their configurations.
One of them is Unit 301, a two-bedroom, two-bath 1,850-square-foot corner unit on the sixth floor with an expansive living/dining room and views of the Back Bay and the Financial District.
A deck is located off the living room in Unit 909, which is a two-bedroom triplex. It is listed at $1.269 million.
It is offered at $1.325 million.
The kitchen is compact and includes a Bosch gas cooktop, a Jenn-Air stainless steel refrigerator, custom-milled cabinetry, some with frosted mirror fronts, and a built-in serving cart. The counters are recycled quartz.
Pocket doors can be closed to shut off the kitchen from the hallway to the living area.
The baths are contemporary, with rectangular vessel sinks and dual flush toilets. The tiles are 4 by 12 inches for a dramatic effect. The master bath has a combination tub/shower, and the second bath has an oversized shower.
A stunning unit is No. 909, a 1,736-square-foot triplex with two bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths. The entry is on the second level, which has an open kitchen, dining area and powder room.
The kitchen is furnished with the same appliances, but the cabinets are teak. It also has a center island. Stairs ascend to the living room, which has a glass half wall with a view below. Next to the wall is more glass, including a glass door that opens onto a big deck. Another set of stairs descends to the two bedrooms, each with its own bath. This condo is priced at a$1.269 million.
In Unit 616, a duplex, the base cabinets and island are Makassar ebony. It is listed at $989,000.
The staged duplex, No. 616, is priced at $989,900. It has one bedroom, one-and-a-half baths and 1,656 square feet of living space, plus two decks. The larger one is off the bedroom, which is on the lower level, as is the living/dining area.
The kitchen is on the upper floor and features a center island of Makassar ebony that drops down to a built-in dining table. Frosted glass wall cabinetry contrasts with the ebony base cabinets. This area also has a glass half wall that looks down into the living room and a glass door that opens onto the second deck.
Cohen described Unit 704, a one-bedroom, one-bath home with 969 square feet of living space as “the ultimate bachelor pad.” It features oversized south-facing windows and a kitchen with a blue quartz island open to the living/dining area. The bath, like the others, has Dornbracht fixtures. Its price is $599,900.
One of the signature elements of the complex is the terrace with its raised deck and lap pool, bordered by plantings of cutleaf staghorn sumac. A cistern in the garage below collects water runoff for irrigation.
The sloping green roof planted with drought-resistant sedum and the courtyard between the Macallen and Court Square Press buildings laid with permeable concrete pavers were two other award-winning elements.
These condos appeal to a wide range of demographics, said Cohen, and the area has undergone a major transformation during the past few years with the construction of other residential complexes. More business people are in the neighborhood as well with this month’s relocation of P & G Gillette’s headquarters from the Prudential Tower to Gillette Park nearby.
The Macallen offers value too. Sale prices include one year of condo fees and a deeded parking space in the garage. For those units that sell for more than $1 million, two deeded spaces are included.
DETAILS
Address: 141 Dorchester Ave., Seaport
Age: 2006-2007
Size: 812 to 2,805 square feet
Price: Ranging from $550,000 to $2 million
Condo fee: Ranging from $450 to $1,800 per month (all inclusive, except for electricity)
Features of building: A green-built, pet-friendly building with spacious lobby, elevator, central heat and air conditioning; roof terrace and lap pool on third floor, above parking garage; screening room with kitchen and rest rooms; common areas with Wi-Fi; professionally managed; extra sound proofing and insulation, 24-hour concierge.
Features of units: Flats, duplexes and triplexes, some with private terraces, carbonized bamboo flooring, various wood finishes from renewable sources, stone counters, gas cooktops, ergonomic, counter-level dishwashers; stainless steel appliances; satellite Direct TV and Broadband; oversized insulated windows, security system and intercom, fresh air ventilation system.
Close by: The South End, Fort Point Channel HarborWalk, the Financial District, South Boston, many restaurants; easy access to Broadway MBTA Red Line Station, Routes 93 and 90.
Contact: Rob Cohen, Boston Realty Advisors, 715 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116. Phones: 617-850-9618 (office) or 67-962-02 (cell).
Web site: www.bradvisors.com or www.robbcohen.com
An open house will be held at this property Sunday, Nov. 8, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
