Two new lofts feature luxuries
Two condos at the Lofts @ 36 A St., at the corner of West Fourth Street, are all that remain in this new six-story, 25-unit building of brick and glass in the Seaport neighborhood.
Beth Dailey of Otis & Ahearn Real Estate has listed them – Nos. 5E and 6B, the penthouse – at $555,900 and $595,900, respectively.
Their location is ideal and convenient – close to the South End and the Back Bay as well as the South Boston business district – and a block away from the MBTA’s Red Line Broadway station.
MBTA bus routes travel along nearby Dorchester Avenue and West Broadway.
Completed three years ago, this project had all the elements of “smart growth” before the phrase was absorbed into everyday vocabulary. And the mechanicals are energy efficient.
A commercial space and a below–ground garage occupy the first level of the building, and the residences are on the upper five floors.
A common roof deck with landscaping offers sweeping views that extend to the Blue Hills miles away.
Dailey said the developer, Gregg Donovan, wanted to create a loftlike sensibility in these condos, and the open floor plans, high ceilings and scored and polished concrete floors fulfill that aspect.
But unlike traditional lofts in old warehouses, these open spaces boast high-end finishes in the kitchens and baths.
A 20-foot-wide bank of windows in the living room has a southern exposure and fills the interior with light.
In addition, these lofts were designed with the option to add tracking in the ceiling. Custom-made paneling could be suspended from the track to define separate spaces, or fabric could be used instead.
Neither of the available units, Nos. 5E and 6B, has the movable panels, but with the staging in No. 5E, it is simple to envision how they could “create a room.”
Inside No. 5E is a small hallway off which is a half bath. The hall opens into a large area that could be a home office or a media room or a second bedroom. This area has a closet as well.
This floor plan of this condo is linear, and straight ahead is the main living space, which has been outfitted as a dining area, a living room and a bedroom, which could be further defined by paneling.
The south-facing windows in the living room are huge, 8 feet high and 20 feet wide, ensuring lots of wonderful light. The condo has abundant recessed lighting as well.
A dining area has been created in front of the linear kitchen in Unit 5E.
The kitchen is long and open to the dining area. It is beautifully equipped with stainless steel Fisher & Paykel appliances, including a five-burner gas cooktop with a wok ring and an electric convection oven.
The refrigerator features a drawer-style bottom freezer, and the dishwasher ha s two drawers. Honed black granite countertops are a nice counterpoint to the flat maple cabinetry that features a champagne finish.
Behind the kitchen is the master bath, which is a showpiece. It can be accessed through pocket doors from the bedroom or front study, and it is furnished with16- by 24-inch porcelain tile from Italy, which Dailey describes as looking like raw silk.
Above the double vanity is a huge mirror, and the oversized shower with multiple showerheads is enclosed by glass.
There are several closets with shelving, even the closet in the dining room. There is another closet for a laundry.
The penthouse, Unit 6B, has a similar floor plan but is vacant, displaying the flexibility of the space.
A bedroom in Unit 5E has been created in an area off the main living area.
Inside the entry are a laundry closet and a full bath off a hall that leads to the main living space. Before reaching the living room itself, however, there is a bedroom with two separate doorways, with pocket doors, that open onto †he hall.
This bedroom has a large built–out closet. Inside the entry are a laundry closet and a full bath off a hall that leads to the main living space.
Before reaching the living room itself, however, there is a bedroom with two separate doorways, with pocket doors, that open onto †he hall. This bedroom has a large built–out closet.
The penthouse kitchen is different from No. 5E as it is U-shaped and has a two-tiered counter that faces the dining area.
Topped with honed black granite, it has an overhang so that it could be used as a breakfast bar. T
his counter holds a deep sink, and opposite it are the five-burner range and stainless steel refrigerator. The maple cabinets have the same champagne finish.
A dining area could be created in front of the breakfast bar, leaving space for a large living room, or the area could be reapportioned to allow for a living/dining area and another bedroom, which could be “walled off.”
The kitchen in Unit 6B, a penthouse, has the maple cabinetry and a breakfast bar.
Both of these units have private space on the roof deck in addition to access to the common area, and both had deeded garage parking. No. 5E has one deeded space; No. 6B has two deeded spaces.
The building has a forced hot air high-velocity heating and air conditioning system, with an ultra violet filter to prevent mold and bacteria, said Dailey. Low E Argon windows are another energy-efficient feature.
Other amenities include wiring for cable, satellite television, surround sound and high-speed Internet.
“It’s designed to have an old feel, almost like a warehouse, but with the benefits of new construction,” she said.
DETAILS
Address: Lofts @ 36 A, 36 A St., Seaport
Unit 6B: One-plus bedroom, one bath, 1,140 square feet
Price: $595,900
Taxes: $4,544 (FY 2009))
Condo fees: $300 per month
Unit 5E: One-plus bedroom, one-and-a-half baths, 1,140 square feet
Price: $555,900
Taxes: $5,580 (FY 2009)
Condo fee: $250 per month
Age: 2006
Features of property: Two loftlike units in 25-unit new pet-friendly building with polished concrete floors, 10-foot-high ceilings, large south-facing windows, gourmet kitchens with stainless steel appliances and spa-like baths; energy-efficient heating and air conditioning systems and appliances; private roof decks and deeded garage parking.
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: Beth Dailey, Otis & Ahearn Real Estate, 200 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116. Phones: 617-267-3500 (office) or 617-283-8860 (cell).
Website: www.otisahearn.com
An open house will be held at this property Sunday, Dec. 13, from noon to 1:30 p.m.
