Two condos in Ritz skyscrapers enjoy Boston views

Living at the Residences at the Ritz, Boston Common, means panoramic views and pampered services in deluxe accommodations.

Kathleen Cook of Atlantic Associates Real Estate is marketing two such striking homes in Midtown, one in each of the towers that rise on Avery Street. 
 
Both have undergone renovations that have made these homes even more luxurious.

At 1 Avery St. is Penthouse 1C, which is on the 36th floor. It is listed at $1.995 million.

The owner of this home completely revamped the space, adding Brazilian cherry herringbone flooring in the bedrooms and new crown molding in the living room, dining room and foyer.

The foyer has new diamond floor tiles, which transition to the herringbone floor in the living room.

The living room is filled with light, especially since the floor-to-ceiling windows soar nearly 12 feet.

The walls have been upholstered with a beautiful pale pink fabric that matches the window treatments.

To the left is a newly redone powder room with ceramic tile floor with a North Star mosaic pattern. The vanity is wrought iron, and an ornate Victorian mirror and sconces are above the marble sink.

Unit 36H in the south tower of the Ritz at 2 Avery St. is a corner unit that features an expanse of glass.

Next to it is the kitchen, which has been done over as well. The cabinets are new, and some have glass fronts. The pass-through to a formal dining room, which flows into the living room, was enlarged, so that even though the chef is preparing a meal, he/she can look out and enjoy the view of the city and the water.

High-end appliances include a Viking professional gas range, a Sub-Zero refrigerator and a Miele dishwasher.

“It’s unusual to have a formal dining room,” says Cook.

Off the living room is a terrace, which also can be accessed from the second bedroom. The glass door has a double transom, drawing in more light.

New cabinets were added to the kitchen in Penthouse 1C, and the pass-through to the dining room was enlarged.

A short hallway from the foyer leads to the bedrooms. The second bedroom has been furnished as a sitting room, and the closet has been built out and serves as a home office with drawers for files and a pullout shelf for a desk.

The second bath is sumptuous and has a Victorian sensibility with a claw-footed soaking tub and an oval hammered copper vessel sink atop a concrete garden sculpture. The lower walls have subway tiles and the upper walls are papered. 

The master bedroom features upholstered walls that are a faint lavender fabric in a similar pattern as that in the living room.

In the master bath, the tub was removed so that a new walk-in closet could be formed. The door to the closet is suspended on a track that slides open. Another bedroom closet has a pocket door.

The view from the bedroom sweeps across the Back Bay, the South End and beyond, to the Blue Hills.

At night, the sun reflects on the surrounding glass buildings, and in the morning the sun seems to rise from the water.

The maple cabinetry in Unit 36H provides lots of storage, and a new cupboard for small appliances was created when one of the wall ovens was removed.

Surround sound and Lutron lighting are new additions to the home.

Across the street at 2 Avery is Unit 36H, a corner unit with two bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths. It is listed at $1.775 million.

This condo has been refurbished as well. The foyer here is marble, and one wall is completely mirrored, creating a sense of spaciousness.

The owners added new recessed lights, crown molding and surround sound in the main living spaces, and new sisal rugs were placed in the bedrooms. Custom Hunter Douglas window treatments with privacy sheers were added throughout the condo.

The views are phenomenal, with a vista to the south that includes Boston Harbor and the islands.

At the left of the foyer is the main living space, L-shaped, and the furniture is arranged to accommodate a conversation area with sofas, a home office, which is really a long desk in front of the windows, and a dining area that is compact and includes a pass-through to the kitchen.

The second bedroom of the penthouse has a built-in closet that works as an office station.

Rich Poggenpohl maple cabinetry in the kitchen is abundant. A Viking four-burner gas cooktop is set in one granite counter and at an angle is a wall oven.

The second wall oven was removed to provide storage space for small appliances, such as a coffee maker or toaster; more cabinets were customized.

The microwave is built-in, and the Sub-Zero refrigerator is stainless steel. A new Bosch dishwasher also was installed.

A wall of closets leads to the bedrooms. One closet holds a new full-size, stacked washer/dryer with steam. In the master bedroom, a ceiling fan was added, and a customized wardrobe was built in an existing wide alcove that has shelves, drawers and two pullout hampers.

Cabinetry was replaced in the master bath, which has a glass-enclosed shower and soaking tub and a marble-topped vanity.

Both condos have a valet garage parking space and have access to all the amenities of the five-star hotel, including dining, housekeeping, concierge services and Sports Club/LA.

A dining table and chairs fit nicely in the space between the main living area and the kitchen in Unit 36H.

In addition to these two condos, Cook has nine other listings in the two buildings at the Ritz, ranging from $690,000 to $5.9 million.

DETAILS
 
Address: Ritz Tower I, Penthouse 1C, 1 Avery St., Boston
BR/BA: Two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths
Size: 1,504 square feet
Price: $1.995 million
Taxes: $18,141 (FY 2011 with residential exemption)
Condo fee: $2,018 per month (includes heat, hot water and gas)
 
Address: Ritz Tower II, Unit 36H, 2 Avery St., Boston
BR/BA: Two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths
Size: 1,573 square feet
Price: $1.775 million
Taxes: $16,868 (FY 2011 with residential exemption)
Condo fee: $2,019 per month (includes heat, hot water and gas)
 
Age: 2000
 
Features of homes: Spacious, exquisitely decorated high-rise luxury condominiums at the Ritz with water views; glass curtain walls; excellent floor plan, herringbone cherry parquet floors, high ceilings, fantastic light fixtures, superb moldings and millwork, top-of-the-line kitchen appliances and en suite marble baths; pet friendly; one valet parking space with each home.
 
Close by: Loews Cineplex, new Artisan Bistro, Sports Club/LA; Boston Common and Theatre District, Chinatown, State House, Government Center and Beacon Hill; fine dining in Midtown and the Back Bay, shops on Boylston and Newbury Street; easy access to MBTA Red, Green, Orange and Silver Lines, Routs 93 and 90.
 
Contact: Kathleen Cook, Atlantic Associates Real Estate, 115 Atlantic Ave., Boston, MA 02110. Phones: 617-723-0099 (office) or 617-645­-4545 (cell).
 
Website: www.atlanticassociatesre.com
 
These properties may be seen by appointment.