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.
Growing Up In North Cambridge
North Cambridge Victorian
Have you seen the magazine Growing Up In North Cambridge? The magazine is a “journal of stories of years gone by” filled with articles, vintage photographs and reminiscences of people who called North Cambridge home over the years.
The magazine is really a treasure and a great way to learn about the neighborhood. I’ve only lived in North Cambridge as an adult but it’s easy to imagine how much fun reading about the places and people of your childhood must be to those who grew up here. The magazine encourages submissions – articles, letters, and comments are welcomed.
An earlier issue had a fascinating article about the estate that occupied the land where the Porter Square Shopping Center was built. In the Fall issue, the ninth to be published, I was interested to read the article about the distinctive Victorian at 2203 Mass Ave pictured above. The Cambridge Historical Society toured the house earlier this year and presented a talk about the development of the neighborhood.
I picked up my copy of Growing Up In North Cambridge at an insurance office on Mass Ave. Local stores sell issues – Pemberton Market, Porter Square Books – look for a notice in the window of stores along Mass Avenue. Back issues can be purchased online at the magazine’s website.
234 Lake View Ave – Cambridge Condos – Fresh Pond Hotel
Wyeth House Condos at 234 Lake View Avenue, Cambridge
The Fresh Pond Hotel today sits at 234 Lakeview Ave. in Cambridge MA near Huron Village.
Built by Jacob Wyeth in 1796 on the shores of Fresh Pond, the building was part of a popular resort that offered dancing, bowling, boating and fine food and drink. The hotel operated until after the Civil War. It was eventually sold and used as a convent before being converted to apartments.
The building was moved to 234 Lakeview Avenue in 1892. In 1982 it was added to the National Historic Register.
Fresh Pond Hotel – Wyeth House Condos
In 2001 the former Fresh Pond Hotel was renovated and converted to nine elegant condominiums.
- One and two-bedroom condos between 560 and 960 sq.ft.
- Patio or deck
- High ceilings and period details
- Modern kitchen and bath
- In-unit laundry
- Hardwood floors
- Storage
- One parking space per condo
- Heat is included in the condo fee
- Pet friendly
234 LakeView Ave Cambridge MA Real Estate Sales
In 2001 when the condos were first sold:
- One bedroom condos sold for $219,000 to $259,000
- Two bedrooms sold for $327,000 to $375,000
In 2009 a two-bedroom condo sold for $392,000
If there are condos for sale at 234 Lakeview Ave Cambridge MA they’ll appear below. Click on the small photo for additional photographs and more information.
SEARCH FOR CAMBRIDGE CONDOS FOR SALE
The Wyeth House Condos are located at 234 Lake View Ave, Cambridge MA 02138
Bye Bye Brigham’s – Restaurants Closing
Belmont Brigham's Still Open
Brigham’s Restaurants Closing The abrupt recent closing of the Brigham’s in Boston’s Financial District didn’t seem to bode well for the the rest of the chain’s restaurants. Sure enough, the Arlington Brigham’s shop on Mill Street has been shuttered and the Globe reported that many of the other locations will be closing.
Bummer! While Brigham’s hasn’t been what it used to be, with local shops offering a limited version of the restaurant, it’s still a decent place for a burger finished off with the tastiest of ice cream – Mocha Almond. And the Financial District restaurant was my old stomping grounds – when I worked in Post Office Square I’d get my lunch there – tuna on white, a lemonade, and vanilla ice cream – an all white meal before we knew that wasn’t necessarily a good thing – but it sure hit the spot.
Brigham’s is a long time local favorite – the company started in Massachusetts over 90 years ago and the ice cream was manufactured in Arlington. HP Hood has owned the ice cream operation since last year and will continue to sell the prepackaged ice cream in supermarkets.
Turns out, according to an employee behind the counter, that the Belmont Brigham’s by the Oakley Country Club is independently owned so will remain open. Hurrah! They make a great burger, there are lots of booths, and the hand scooped ice cream is delicious. And a reader alerted me to the fact that the Arlington Heights Brigham’s has the same owner so that bodes well for our other local hangout. And restaurants that serve Brigham’s ice cream, like Colleen’s in Medford Square, won’t be affected by the chain’s difficulties.
When I stopped by this weekend the Belmont shop was busier than ever – I think people were stopping by for what they thought was their last cone or hamburger. Keep coming back – support your local Brigham’s!
Mystic River Park Condos – 3920 Mystic Valley Parkway Medford
The Mystic River Park Condos at 3920 Mystic Valley Parkway, Medford MA offer 260 condominiums in an 11-story complex built in the late 1980s.
Mystic River Park Condos in Medford, Massachusetts
The Meadow Glen Mall is next door, supermarkets are nearby, and the Wellington subway station is down the street. The building sits across the road from the park along the Mystic River – a great place to walk dogs or enjoy the Boston views. Unfortunately no pets – not even cats – are allowed in the complex. If I could bring my cat I’d move into this building in a minute – the pool calls my name every time I visit.
"Jump in the pool Liz! Jump in!"
Mystic River Park Condominiums Feature:
- Central air conditioning
- In-unit laundry
- Walk-in closets
- Balcony
- Outdoor and / or garage parking
- Elevators
- Racquet ball courts
- Indoor swimming pool
- Excercise room
- Saunas
- 24 hour security desk in the lobby
- One-bedrooms approx. 825 – 1000 sq.ft.
- Two-bedroom, two-bath condos approx. 1200 sq.ft.+, corner units are slightly larger
The complex was built in the late 1980s and the original kitchen cabinets are the white Formica with oak trim that were popular at the time. Many condos have updated baths and kitchens or are upgraded with hardwood floors. A recent assessment paid for a new roof, refurbishing of the lobby, and new wallpaper and carpet in the common areas. The building has very healthy reserves.
Real Estate Sales at 3920 Mystic Valley Pkwy Medford MA
Real estate sales prices in the building are impacted by level of renovation if any, unit level, and outdoor or garage parking. Sales in 2009 to date have included:
- Two-bedroom, two-bath condos sold for $277,000 to $325,000
- Median price for a 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo in 2009 in MLS was $290,000
- One one-bedroom, one-bath condo sale has closed in 2009 to date fro $230,000 for a 9th floor unit.
If there are condos for sale or rent in the building they’ll appear below. Click on the small photo for additional photographs and more information. Feel free to give me a call at 617-504-1737 or email me if you’d like to take a look or want more information.
Mystic Valley Park Condos are located at 3920 Mystic Valley Parkway, Medford, MA 02155.
Fading Stories In Stone – New England Cemeteries In Need Of Restoration
Early gravestones in the First Parish Burying Ground, Arlington MA
Fading Stories In Stone – New England Cemeteries In Need Of Restoration. An article in Sunday’s Boston Globe, “A Race Against Time To Save History”, about Robert Carlson’s work documenting and restoring gravestones on the Cape caught my eye. I love early cemeteries and the terrible condition of many of them has been on my mind recently. I was happy to learn about Carlson’s efforts and to see the Globe publicizing the desperate need for conservation of New England cemeteries.
Old cemeteries have always fascinated me. As kids we played regularly in the cemetery near the town center in Medfield, Mass. Some of the gravestones dated from the 1600s and I admired the carvings that changed through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries – from the winged skulls, to the more cherubic faces. to the weeping willows. I loved the inscriptions with the bits of people’s history and the beautiful old names.
Each year on Memorial Day we visited another old cemetery in Shirley to plant geraniums. One year as we poked around nearby plots we found a very early wooden grave marker – still the only one I’ve ever seen.
By third grade I was doing genealogy with my grandfather and visited old graveyards in many New England towns with him and my grandmother. Always the stories told on the old slate gravestones were a source of fascination as we hunted for clues about our ancestors.
Bas-relief carving on an Old Burying Ground gravestone in Arlington
The centuries old gravestones had survived the years well. Most were completely legible – the incised words easy to read, the decorations almost as beautiful as the day they were carved. In the 1970s gravestone rubbing was a popular hobby and the markers in local cemeteries were still crisp enough to make fine rubbings.
Imagine my dismay when I revisited my favorite childhood cemetery some twenty years later and found that in that relatively short time the stones had degraded dramatically. Many inscriptions could no longer be read and the carvings were difficult to discern.
It was shocking. How could these markers last two hundred years and then in just a few years be so damaged?
What does it say about our environment? About how polluted the air and water have become in recent years that centuries old stone carvings can be worn away in short order?
I went back to the Medfield cemetery last week and was once again appalled. Lichen covered many of the stones’ surface. Many stones had been broken. Inscriptions, if they can be discerned at all, can only be read with difficulty. Doesn’t anybody care?
The other day I visited the Old Burying Ground in Arlington Center to get photos for this post and was surprised to see gravestones in relatively good condition. Sure – the inscriptions and carvings have been worn down – but the stones were clean and clearly in much better condition than those in Medfield.
Gravestone restoration in Arlington
I was perplexed until I noticed the blue marks on the backs of the gravestones. It seems that someone had restored the markers in the Arlington cemetery. I haven’t been able to find any information about the project – if you have any information it please let me know.
The Old Burying Ground in Arlington is absolutely worth a visit. There’s a wonderful collection of markers and it seems many were done by the same carver. Many of the carvings – particularly those with a child’s head in bas-relief – are very distinctive. The cemetery dates to 1736 and the colonists killed in Arlington on the first day of the American Revolution are buried here.
It’s time to take a page out of Robert Carlson’s book and start an Adopt-A-Cemetery movement. What’s your city or town doing to preserve its cemetery heritage?
Avenue 264 – Arlington Condos – 264 Mass Ave Arlington MA
Avenue 264 at 264 Mass Ave in East Arlington is one of Arlington’s newest condo buildings. The three-story 27-unit building was built in 2005. The condos have high ceilings, large windows, and fine finishes.
- Avenue 264 – Arlington Condos
Located near the Capitol Theatre, the Minuteman Bike Path, and Spy Pond, there’s a bus outside your door and a variety of restaurants within walking distance.
Avenue 264 Features
- Elevator
- In-unit washer/dryer
- Central air conditioning
- Hardwood floors
- Granite and stainless steel kitchens
- Garage or outdoor parking
- One bedroom with one bath condos – approx. 680-940 sq.ft.
- Two or three bedrooms with two baths condos – approx. 1100-1700 sq.ft.
264 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington MA Real Estate Sales
Market rate sales to date in the building:
- One bedrooms have sold for prices from $305,000 to $375,000
- Two-bedrooms sold for $415,000 to $585,000
- Average sale price per square foot to date – $394
If there are condos for sale or rent in the building they’ll appear below. Click on the small photo for additional photographs and more information. And if you’d like to take a look, feel free to call me at 617-504-1737 or email me to schedule an appointment.
SEARCH FOR ARLINGTON REAL ESTATE
Avenue 264 is located at 264 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington, MA 02474.
Boston Globe Features City Squares
Mullen Square in North Cambridge
Here at Centers and Squares we were delighted to see the Boston Globe article about city squares in today’s paper.
The Boston Globe article included many city squares you won’t find on any map. These are the corners that are named to commemorate neighborhood residents. In Cambridge the signs are black and white like the one at right.
Mullen Square is named in honor of the family that lived in my house for over 80 years. The father of the family was a doctor, one son worked for Tip O’Neill, his childhood friend, and a daughter worked as an elementary school teacher for many years. She was the last member of the family to live in the house until I bought it a few years ago.
Many of Cambridge’s squares were named to honor people or families like the Mullens – people who lived in the neighborhood for many years and made a contribution to the community.
But this is Cambridge after all and the Globe found some stories that might surprise you behind those ubiquitous black and white signs.
Reverend Larry Love Square honors
“… a Cambridge-born musician [and] roller skating street person… who would change clothes five times a day, and wore the most wild costumes – feather boas and boots laced up to his knees…”
Mark Sandman Square is named for the
“musician and songwriter best known as the bassist and lead singer of the indie rock band Morphine”.
I won’t look at the signs the same way after reading this article. You won’t either after reading more of the Globe’s article about city squares.
Millbrook Condos – 993-995 Mass Ave Arlington
The Millbrook Condos at 993-995 Mass Ave. in Arlington MA offer 99 condominiums in two buildings. The complex was built in the early 1970s and gets its name from the mill brook that runs behind the buildings.
Millbrook Condominiums - 993 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington MA
I’ll never forget my first visit to 993 Massachusetts Ave. It was early spring, and even though the large sliding door overlooking the brook was closed, the sound of rushing water was mesmerizing. Brought me right back to nights we spent camping by a stream when I was growing up.
Millbrook Condos at 993 Mass Ave Arlington
The condominiums in the 993 building are often described as “lofts”. That confused me since the building doesn’t look a loft building. Turns out “loft” refers to the open upper level bedroom.
When you walk into a 1st or 2nd floor condo here you’ll walk past a half bath and a galley kitchen into a two-story living /dining room with sliders one above the other. An open staircase brings you up to a loft-style bedroom with a full-bath and generous closet.
It’s a dramatic space and my thought – after I soaked in the sounds of the brook – was that you could build a really tall bookcase wall here. It’s a smart setup with the lav downstairs for guests and a private full bath tucked away upstairs.
Most one-bedrooms are about 600 sq.ft. – a bit under or a bit over. There are some two-bedroom units ranging in size from about 800 to 1000 sq.ft. The fourteen units on the third floor are laid out on one level. There are 69 condos in the building which has an elevator, laundry facilities, and storage cubbies.
Some of the condos in the building are in original condition while others have been smartly updated.
The Mill Brook Behind Millbrook Condos
Millbrook Condos at 995 Mass Ave Arlington MA
995 is a more traditonal building with 30 condos in a five-story elevator building. There are studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom flats. Condos on the 2nd – 5th floors have a spacious balcony that can be screened.
Millbrook Condos at 995 Mass Ave in Arlington MA
Millbrook Condos have garage or outdoor parking. Heat and hot water is included in the condo fee.
Real Estate Sales at the Millbrook Condominiums
In the last two years:
- Five one-bedrooms at #993 have sold for prices ranging from$207,500 to $244,000
- A 1000 sq.ft. two-bedroom at #993 sold for $326,000
- Two one-bedrooms at #995 sold for $177,400 and $205,000
- A 769 sq.ft. two-bedroom at #995 sold for $243,000
If there are Millbrook condos listed for sale they’ll appear below. Click on the small photo for more information and additional photographs.
SEARCH FOR ARLINGTON CONDOS FOR SALE
Info about sales of Millbrook Condos at 993-995 Mass Ave, Arlington, MA 02476 from MLSpin.
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