Centers And Squares
Welcome to Centers and Squares
As a Cambridge real estate agent, the city squares of Cambridge, Somerville and Medford and the town centers of Arlington, Watertown and Belmont, Massachusetts are my home turf. And as a lifelong New Englander who’s lived within twenty miles of Boston most of my life, I can introduce you to other nearby towns as we search for your new home. If you’re planning to sell your home in Cambridge, MA or nearby you’ll find plenty of info about the home selling process here too. Questions? Send me an email or call me at 617-504-1737.
Condos, Condos Everywhere – Arlington Condominiums
Arlington, MA Condominium Buildings and Styles
New residents of Arlington, MA are drawn to the town for its restaurants and shops, the parks, the Minuteman Bike Path, the proximity to Boston and more. Not quite the suburbs – not quite the city – just right for many. And if you’re in the market for a condo, Arlington has a wide variety of choices. Here’s an idea of some of the condominiums you’ll find in Arlington, Massachusetts.
Classic Brick Buildings
The Irvington Condominiums
The Irvington on Pleasant Street and the condos at 230 Massachusetts Avenue are two examples of classic early 1900s buildings that were converted to condominiums. The units are charming with high ceilings, hardwood floors, period detail and even, at the Irvington, fireplaces. A one-bedroom unit was recently listed at 230 Mass Ave for $229,900. The most recent sale at the Irvington was five-room, two-bedroom condo that sold for $400,900 in 2006.
Arlington also has two old brick school buildings that have been converted to condominiums – the Cutter School on School Street and the Locke School on Park Avenue. The Cutter School was converted to condos in the 1980s and many of the units have interesting layouts. A two-bedroom at the Cutter School closed for $380,000 in Fall 2008. Many of the units at the Locke School have super high ceilings and those amazing, large schoolhouse windows. A one-bedroom condo with renovated kitchen sold for $315,000 in 2008.
Arlington Condo Buildings from the 1960s to the 1980s
Arlington has a number of good-sized condominium complexes in buildings that date from the 1960s to the 1990s. Many of the buildings have elevators, most have parking. Some can seem a bit dated but are still on the modern end of the spectrum of Massachusetts housing. In Massachusetts “modern” can often mean the 1970s when compared to much of the housing stock. Some of the choices include:
Colonial Village was built as apartments in the early 1960s and is close to Arlington’s swimming hole -the Arlington Reservoir or “Res”. There are 144 one and two-bedroom condos spread out in a dozen buildings (12 x 12 – a gross!). A two-bedroom with the original kitchen and bath sold quickly – it closed 20 days after it was listed – for $158,000 in 2009. Looks like that was a bargain – other units on the second or third floor have sold for more. The complex has an outdoor pool and parking.
The Brentwood in Arlington Center was built in the 1970s and has more than 100 units. A 4th floor one-bedroom condo at the Brentwood is currently listed for $199,000. The lobby has a retro feel and there’s an elevator in the building.
The Millbrook Condominiums were built in 1971 and are on Mass Ave not far from the Blue Ribbon Diner. The association consists of two buildings – one in front with traditional layouts and balconies and another set back from the street with loft-style units. These condos have a two-story living room and stairs to a balcony bedroom with adjacent bath. I’ll never forget my first visit to the Millbrook Condominiums. It was spring and though the sliders were all closed the sound of the rushing water from the brook was mesmerizing. It reminded me of one of my favorite stream-side camping sites from childhood and I was sold – someday I’ll sell all my stuff and retire to a one-bedroom at the Millbrook. A brook-side unit sold for $235,000 in 2008.
Spy Pond Condos
The Spy Pond Condominiums on Hamilton Road were built in the 1980s. The condo buildings are flanked by the bike path on one side and Spy Pond on the other. Pond-side units have beautiful views of the lake and picnic tables for residents sit by the shore. The most recent sale was a one-bedroom on the bike-path side that sold for $207,000 in 2008. The last pond-side penthouse two-bedroom to come on the market sold for $535,000 in 2005.
Watermill Place was built in 1988 and has over 100 units. These condos have central air conditioning, in-unit laundry, garage parking for many units, and a fitness room with exercise equipment. Two Watermill Place condominiums are currently on the market – a one-bedroom for $259,000 and a two-bedroom for $319,900.
Condominiums in Multi-Family Buildings
Many of Arlington’s condominiums have been created by converting multi-families into condos. Condo buyers will find varying levels of quality in these units – some will be close to rental quality, some have undergone modest renovations, and others have been gutted and renovated with quality finishes. These buildings were usually constructed between the mid to late 1800s through the 1930s but renovations can transform them into units that will meet the standards of buyers who prefer more modern condos styles and amenities. Condos in two and three unit wood frame buildings typically have between two and four bedrooms, with the larger units usually found on the second and third floors of two-families. The diversity of quality and size is reflected in the sales prices which ranged in 2008 from $193,500 to $725,000.
New Construction – Arlington Adds to the Condo Inventory
The real estate boom of the last few years meant that a number of new condo developments were built in Arlington. New condo complexes include:
Russell Place is a forty-unit development built in 2002 in Arlington Center near the bike path. There’s a variety of styles among the units – townhouses, flats and lofts. A two-bedroom, 2.5 bath townhouse sold in 2008 for $530,000.
Avenue 264, a 27-unit condo building, was built on Massachusetts Avenue near the Capitol Theatre in 2005. The building has an elevator and the condos have central a/c, hardwood floors, in-unit washer/dryer, and garage parking. A two-bedroom, two-bath condo sold in 2008 for $415,000.
A few blocks further down Mass Ave at the corner of Mill Street a development of 19 free standing townhouse condos, Heritage Square, was built in 2004. A three-bedroom townhouse on Mass Ave sold for $610,000 in 2008 and earlier in the year a larger unit on Mill Street sold for $675,000.
There’s something for every condo buyer in Arlington, including many more buildings than you see here. If you would like more information about Arlington condominiums remember – I’m just a phone call or email away!
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