Renovated condo on Beacon Hill Flat has ideal spot

At the corner of River and Chestnut streets is 22 River St., an attractive, four-story brick building containing eight condominiums.

It is on the coveted Flat of Beacon Hill west of Charles Street, a part of Beacon Hill without the hill to climb.

The original application to build, dated Dec. 14, 1914, placed the building on a vacant lot at the corner of River and Chestnut with an address of 84 Chestnut St. and said it was to be eight bachelor suites.

But an amendment to the plan on April 5, 1915, stated that the location would be the same vacant lot but at the address of 22 River St. and that the building would contain eight apartments.

The location of the property is wonderful. It is one block from Charles Street with its appealing shops and restaurants. Beacon Street at the Public Garden is a block-and-a-half away.

The Esplanade, the State House, the Theater District, the Financial District, the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, Newbury Street and the attractions of the Back Bay are not much farther.

The building was completely renovated in 1994 and 1995, including new plumbing and new wiring. A certificate of occupancy was issued

April 11, 1995. That was probably when the building became condominiums.

Today, the eight apartments are all owner-occupied. Tim Marsh of Marsh Properties has listed Unit 2 at 22 River St. at $995,000.

It is a wonderful, recently updated two-bedroom, two-bath duplex with hardwood floors, many windows, a laundry closet, and a Caesarstone and stainless steel eat-in kitchen.

The living room and the master bedroom each have a fireplace. There is a roof deck shared by all of the owners.

The main floor of the home is on the parlor level of the building. The front door opens to an entry foyer with a coat closet. A hallway leads past a full bath and the eat-in kitchen to an elegant corner living room/dining room combination.

The floors on this level are beautiful maple hardwood. All of the windows in the home have custom louvered plantation shutters.

The five windows in the living room and the two in the kitchen have exterior window boxes that are replanted four times a year. Right now they contain evergreens, native winterberry holly and white birch.

The living room windows give views of both Chestnut Street and River Street. At one end of the room, a white mantelpiece surrounds the brick fireplace.

Matching closets flank the fireplace. They look like Palladium windows, but are paned with mirrors rather than clear glass.

They reflect the light in the room and add another dimension. The room is wired for surround sound and has recessed lighting.

The kitchen can be reached through a pocket door near the dining area or from the hallway. The countertops are Caesarstone, which many prefer to granite, and are made of quartz but look like granite.

The top-rated stainless steel appliances (a range, a dishwasher, a refrigerator with bottom freezer and a microwave) include Bosch and GE Profile. The floors are maple hardwood.

The backsplash is of beautiful glass tiles. The custom wood-paneled cabinets are the same shade of white as the walls.

Across the room, a door hides a large pantry. Farther along the wall is a convenient and attractive built-in desk.

A chandelier hanging from the center of the kitchen ceiling enhances the recessed lighting.

The full bath on this level has marble flooring and a large marble shower with glass closure. The vanity in the room has an under-counter cabinet.

That and the built-in wall shelving both give attractive storage.

A wide, wrought iron staircase leads to the lower level of the home where the two bedrooms - a mastr and a good-sized second bedroom - are located.

The master bedroom has three windows overlooking Chestnut Street and two more overlook River Street. There are four closets, one at each corner of the room. The attractive fireplace has a marble hearth and surround.

The second bedroom has a double closet and two windows that give views of River Street. In both rooms the flooring is oak hardwood and the lighting is recessed.

The bathroom on this level has a whirlpool soaking tub and beautiful glass tile. A custom built-in wall cabinet with doors paneled with frosted glass surrounds the vanity and provides very appealing, almost Shaker-like storage.

A closet in the lower-level hallway holds a full-sized Frigidaire stacked washer and dryer. A door off the same hallway opens to a foyer and the elevator.

The building has a roof deck with views of the buildings of Beacon Hill and the Back Bay. On special occasions the fireworks can be enjoyed from there. An off-site management company professionally manages the building. The roof was replaced in 2007. The home has two zones of central heat and air conditioning.