In March 2008, we ran a story about the Clarendon (see Clarendon Back Bay Condos Looking Up), out of which came a conversation thread about whether the 33 story tower would block views of the Hancock Tower from the adjacent luxury Albert A Pope Building once the new ultra luxury Clarendon was complete.

It was somewhat speculation in March what the situation would entail, but it is apparent now that the Clarendon Back Bay will indeed block views of the Hancock Tower from the Pope condo development.  Inside sources connected to the Clarendon are stating that the building should top off in approximately 6 weeks time, and the 33 stories will definitely block views of at least the lower portion of the Hancock Tower.

There were two units available for sale at the Pope building earlier this year, both have since closed for $1 million+ each, with price per square foot averaging a little over $600.  Sales at the Clarendon appear to be strong, at a different price point ($1,100+ per square foot) entirely.  Regardless of a direct view of the Hancock Tower, the 24-unit boutique Albert A Pope Building that sits above the Mistral restaurant will remain one of the premier condo developments along the Back Bay and South End border.

As the sidewalks around the Boston Mandarin Oriental clear, Bostonians (and beyond) are buzzing about the ultra luxury hotel, rental apartments, and for sale condos that will soon be move-in ready.

Closings of the for sale condos at the property began last week, with several 9th floor units along with a 10th floor unit being recorded as sold – average sales price per square foot has been approximately $1,500.  In addition to the for sale condos in the development, there are 25 high-end luxury rental apartments that are coming online as available.  Opening of the Mandarin Oriental is slated for October 2008.

In addition to the above-mentioned activity , there are six (6) Mandarin Oriental resale condos that are now available for sale (resale in the sense that they are being resold by owners who have not yet moved into the units).  One of the currently for sale condos available is unit W-10B, a 3,564 square foot 3-bedroom 3.5-bathroom corner unit over Boylston Street in the west building adjacent to the Prudential Center shops – this unit is priced at $6,500,000 ($1,824 per square foot) and includes two garage parking spaces, while HOA fees are $5,500 per month, and include such things as hot water, water, sewer, master insurance, security, elevator, exterior maintenance, landscaping, extra storage, refuse removal, valet parking, and garden area.

The Boston Mandarin Oriental (condos) are perhaps the only downtown condo development that completely sold out well before a prospective Buyer could step foot in a finished unit, and it was done via an almost invite only type sales process.  The six available resale units offer potential Buyers a chance to partake in what will be one of Boston’s most exclusive properties.

A breakdown of the currently available for sale units in the building is noted below.  For more details about each unit, and/or to setup a private showing, please contact us.

• E-10H 1,437sf 2bed 2bath $2,200,000 (1 parking space)
• PH1-C 5,000sf 3bed 4.5bath $12,500,000 (2 parking spaces)
• W-10C 2,683sf 3bed 2.5bath $4,295,000 (2 parking spaces)
• W-10B 3,564sf 3bed 3.5bath $6,500,000 (2 parking spaces)
• E-11F 1,830sf 2bed 2bath $3,050,000 (1 parking space)
• E9-B 2,580sf 2bed 2.5bath $3,995,000 (1 parking space)

Important to keep in mind is that for views of the Charles River (for front facing units) and beyond, one really needs to be on at least floor 10, while the view opens wider on 11 and each floor after that.  Commercial spaces within the complex will be occupied by Gucci, Freete, L’Espalier, and Sel de Le Terre.

Columbus Avenue, slicing the Back Bay and the South End, is home to multiple condo developments, both new and old.  285 Columbus Lofts recently completed construction and is approximately 90% sold.  While just a stone’s throw from that site at the corner of Clarendon and Columbus is the Bryant.

We’ve been tracking the Bryant since before it broke ground, and provide the only exclusive time-series photo set of the development through construction (see Bryant on Columbus).  Recently, the Bryant began revealing its face to the outside world.  Moving away the construction tarps, Bostonians are getting their first look at the facade of the Bryant on Columbus, and it appears as though it will do a good job of blending a clean, and perhaps stately, polished looking finish with the older neighboring buildings.

While nearby residents to the Bryant have not enjoyed the constant construction noise, they will be happy to know that their property values will go up as a result of having a boutique luxury building nearby, beautifying the area along Columbus, and injecting more demand into local businesses.

The Bryant on Columbus currently lists 11 units, only part of their existing inventory, available in the MLS, providing a good feel for what is available in the building – mainly three-bedroom units, as well as an unprecedented four-bedroom unit, all ranging in size and price from approximately 1,900 to 2,800 square feet and $1,550,000 to $2,950,000 (penthouse).  The Bryant will be a unique addition to the area, for more information and/or to setup a tour of the sales center, please contact us.

In addition to the shopping and ice cream on Newbury Street there are several condo developments, including 360 Newbury and the Prince.  The Prince is a 36-unit development at 201 Newbury Street that does not see a tremendous amount of turnover.  However, earlier this month, unit 506 at the Prince, a 2 bedroom 2.5 bathroom condo sold for $770K after being on the market for almost 6 months – at 1,314 square feet, the unit offered a competitive $586 Back Bay price per square foot. Additionally, unit 309 at the Prince, a 1 bedroom 1 bathroom is currently Under Agreement after being listed for only 8 days at $687,500 ($700 square foot) .

The most recent listing at the Prince, unit 302, represents a rare opportunity to purchase a true Newbury Street condo (Newbury and Exeter Streets) in a concierge building.  Priced at $835,000, this is the two bedroom Back Bay condo that many are searching for, boasting 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms along with 1 fireplace spread over 1,097 square feet ($761 per square foot) with a common roofdeck.  The $699 monthly HOA fee includes heat, hot water, master insurance, security, elevator, landscaping, and snow removal.

For more information on the Prince condo development, and other Newbury Street condos, please contact us using the link at the top of this page.

So how’s the view from the common roofdeck at 285 Columbus Lofts? Stunning. But perhaps more exciting is what’s been happening inside at what is one of downtown Boston’s hottest new high-end properties. Pat Cutter and Elaine Dolley (the real estate salespersons representing the seller) have blazed a trail, selling 49 of 63 units in the loft-style development, positioning themselves to take a real run at selling out the entire building in less than one year (a rather unheard of feat for a building of its size and price point in the Boston market). The majority of the units that have sold at 285 Columbus Lofts sold in preconstruction, before doors ever opened to residents in May 2008.

Back to the roofdeck…the deck is situated in what seems to be an ideal spot, with the Hancock building towering behind you, the Financial District skyline to your left, and the South End front and center. Click on either of the two exclusive pictures to enlarge them. In terms of remaining units at the loft-style development, one-bedroom units are priced in the mid $500K to mid $600K range, while the least expensive two-bedrooms that remain are priced starting at $975K (on the Columbus Avenue side). For more information, feel free to contact us using the link at the top of this page.

Simon Property Group has officially submitted its plans for a 54,000 square foot addition to the Back Bay Neiman Marcus store, a 60,000 square foot addition of retail / restaurant space, and a 660,000 square foot residential 47-story condo tower that will offer 280+ condos.

The new Boston condo development, slated to be located at 5 Copley Place and called Copley Place Tower, could change the below (current) landscape of the southeast corner of Dartmouth and Stuart Streets substantially.

There are two upcoming city meetings that will cover the new Copley Place Tower – should you want to have in-person knowledge of what is happening around this development, or have comments, for or against, consider attending these events.

Thursday, July 10, 2008 – 8:00 am – 10:00 am: Copley Place Expansion Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting #2, Tent City Apartments – Community Room located at 130 Dartmouth Street

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 – 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm: Copley Place Retail Expansion and Residential Addition project, BRA-sponsored public meeting on the Project Notification Form, Boston Public Library, located at 700 Boylston Street.

You may have this question as well, as we have fielded multiple questions over the past several weeks as to what exactly the plywood siding on the soon-to-be luxury condo development, the Clarendon Back Bay, is all about.

If you haven’t noticed, things are moving quickly at the Clarendon, with construction crews pouring a floor approximately every four days, along with multiple dump trucks hauling excavated dirt from underneath the development for the parking garage. This speed is due in part to one of PERI Formwork Systems products, that is, the plywood casing around the building. PERI is the biggest provider and manufacturer of formwork and scaffolding systems in the world, and have participated in several projects in Boston, including the Regatta Riverview Residences in Cambridge.

The plywood formwork system that is climbing up the sides of the Clarendon serves multiple purposes. It provides safety for construction workers, while at the same time, increases their productivity (you feel more comfortable working at 20 stories off the ground if there is a plywood room surrounding you and preventing a fall). It also shields the property from the elements during its formative stages.

Given the pace at which the Clarendon is being constructed, the scheduled late 2009 completion date actually looks realistic, a change from other downtown Boston condo projects that have been bogged down by, sometimes multiple, construction delays, which push off completion and occupancy.

For more information about the Clarendon, please contact us using the link at the top of this page.

It was somewhat rare that we had a condo development in downtown Boston completely sell out well before doors even opened, and in some cases, before real construction had even begun (granted, the runway for the project was quite long). However, the Boston Mandarin Oriental not only sold out its boutique 50 units, but now, approximately 10% of the luxury condos are available for resale, before the property has even opened. And given the fire that took place on the property earlier this year (see Fire at Boston Mandarin Oriental), a grand opening has been pushed back from July until Fall 2008 – according to many sources, the damage from the fire was quite minimal.

The Mandarin will be the next hot spot in a rolling inventory of super projects that are hitting the Boston skyline, and will give a boost to the already prestigious Back Bay (see Boston Mandarin Oriental Positive Addition to City).

For more information on the available condos at the Mandarin Oriental (6 MB PDF), or to list your preconstruction unit for sale, contact us for more information using the link at the top of this page.

We had the opportunity stop into the 285 Columbus Lofts development this week. Closings began last week at the development after receiving its certificate of occupancy (actually ahead of schedule…did the Mandarin and FP3 hear that), and some residents have already moved in and have begun customizing their units. We have to say, 285 Columbus Lofts is slick, the finishes are excellent, and it just feels “plush” and has an aura of calm luxury.

Upon entering the development from the Columbus Avenue main entrance, you’re greeted by the 285 Columbus Lofts Concierge who is on duty Monday – Friday 8 am to 6pm and Saturday and Sunday Noon to 5pm. With only 19 units remaining, nearly 70% of the building is sold – phenomenal pace and numbers that are setting the new baseline for success in the luxury market.

An exclusive video below of the 285 Columbus Lofts lobby and concierge:

If there are any drawbacks to this development, the list is short, namely, lack of views in some units on the north side of the building and no direct access parking. Unit floor plans 01, 02, and 03, which overlook the Back Bay Orange Line T Stop, do not offer great views – you really need to get on floor 7 and 8 (penthouse) before you get above the adjacent parking garage (see exclusive photos below). Parking is, unfortunately, not direct access – garage parking is a 25 year deeded lease at $320 per month (which is on top of monthly HOA fees at approximately 60 cents per square foot).

Interested Buyers can contact us to learn more about available units – the development is move in ready.

The below exclusive photos provide views from floors 2, 4, and 8 respectively of the north facing views overlooking the Back Bay transit station. 285 Columbus has done a superior job of insulating both interior noise, as well as exterior noise.

Sales continue to be strong as closings begin at the Back Bay’s (on the border of the South End) newest luxury condo development, 285 Columbus Lofts. Many higher floor units still remain for sale, as well as some of the lower priced one-bedrooms (starting at $525K), but the building is now over 60% sold – a very strong showing in comparison to other developments around the city when comparing sales cycles.

285 Columbus Lofts is being developed by the same team that brought you 360 Newbury, another boutique luxury development in an iconic building. You’ll notice similarities in entrances to the buildings of all things with the exclusive photos below. For more information on 285 Columbus Lofts, or any other luxury Boston condo development, please contact us using the link at the top of this page.