Centers And Squares
Garfield Street – Cambridge Real Estate Rambles
Garfield Street Cambridge – Real Estate Rambles. Garfield Street, in the Agassiz neighborhood of Cambridge, Massachusetts, has been one of my favorite Cambridge streets for years. Architecturally appealing and in an unbeatable location, Garfield Street is very popular with Cambridge real estate buyers.
Just one block long, running from Mass Ave. to Oxford Street, Garfield Street is lined with an amazing collection of large, beautifully restored Victorian houses. Located midway between Porter Square and Harvard Square, the street is just around the corner from restaurants, boutiques, cafes, museums, and more.
Tucked in among the trees that edge and arch over the street is a classic older brick apartment building at 61 Garfield Street and on the other side, almost hidden behind the leafy branches at 76 Garfield Street, a modern apartment building built in the 1970s, both now converted to condominiums.
At one point, Harvard University owned several of the houses on Garfield Street. Harvard sold the houses in the late 1980s and 1990s. Over the years the street has grown to be more and more attractive as house after house was restored.
Garfield Street Cambridge – Real Estate Sales
The grand Victorians on Garfield Street are not inexpensive. Recent real estate sales include:
- 32 Garfield Street sold in 2002 for $1,625,000
- 36 Garfield Street sold in 2003 for $1,550,000
- 64 Garfield Street sold in 2006 for $2,350,000
If you’re not in the market for one of the large homes on the street, #61 and #76 offer options for condo buyers.
Recent sales of condos at 61 Garfield Street include:
- A third floor one-bedroom condo sold for $377,000 in 2007
- A second floor renovated one-bedroom condo sold for $425,000 in 2007
- A top floor two-bedroom two-bath condo sold for $472,983 in 2008
At 76 Garfield Street a three-bedroom condo sold in 2008 for $433,000 and a three-bedoom condo was recently listed for sale for $425,000.
Click on the button below to search for Cambridge real estate. You can also modify your search to search by address if you want to check for houses or condos currently for sale on Garfield Street.
Orchard Street in Cambridge and Somerville is another special street. Check back often for more posts about great streets in Cambridge and nearby towns.
Here are some more photographs of Garfield Street in Cambridge MA:
Garfield Street – Cambridge Real Estate Rambles was written by Elizabeth Bolton, a real estate agent at the Huron Avenue office of Coldwell Banker.
Somerville and Cambridge Schoolhouse Condos
Lowe School Condos in Davis Square
Somerville and Cambridge have several schoolhouse condominium associations and more on the way. Schoolhouse condos are popular with real estate buyers who appreciate the large windows, high ceilings, and vintage details often found in these condominiums.
My favorite school was in a similar large old brick building, the Dale Street School in Medfield Mass. I still remember the breezes that came through the oversized windows, the wide hallways and stairs, and the water bubblers that lined the hall. Happily it’s still used as a school but if it’s ever converted to condos I’ll be first in line. The converted schools in Cambridge and Somerville give real estate buyers the opportunity to relive – just a bit – their schooldays.
Condos in Converted Schools in Cambridge
The Lincoln School Condos on Walden and Mead Streets are very close to Porter Square. This large former school has been divided into just twenty condominiums, with a number of spacious condos measuring more than 1500 sq. ft. There’s less of a schoolhouse feel in these condos though the large windows and super high ceilings make for dramatic and open spaces. Condos at the Lincoln School turn over infrequently. The last sale in MLS was a 1000 sq. ft. condo that sold in 2006 for $430,000.
The French School condos at 69 Harvey Street in North Cambridge are close to Davis Square. The bike path to Davis crosses Mass Ave at the end of Harvey Street. There are sixteen condos on four floors in the former school. The condos have a loft like feel with exposed brick walls and high ceilings. A two-bedroom condo on the second floor sold this year for $415,000. Read more about the French School condos.
Dana Park Place in Cambridgeport is Cambridge’s newest condo development in a converted school. The former school has been transformed into 23 condos and more units will be built in the former church next door. The buildings overlook the recently refurbished Dana Park and Central Square is right down the street. The condos have luxurious finishes, central air conditioning, and garage parking.
North Cambridge School Conversion
New Schoolhouse Condos Coming to Cambridge? It looks like it – these buildings, between Middlesex Street and Yerxa Road in North Cambridge, once housed St. John’s R. C. School and are now in the midst of construction. There’s a notice for a special hearing to construct decks posted but I don’t yet know much about this project. I’ll add more details when I get them.
Somerville Condos in Former Schools
The Carr Schoolhouse Condos on Atherton Street in the Spring Hill neighborhood are some of the most charming schoolhouse condos around. There’s lots of original oak woodwork, beautiful windows, and even blackboards preserved in some units. There are studios, one bedrooms, and two-bedroom condominiums. Spring Hill is near Porter Square and Harvard Square isn’t that far away. Read more about the Carr School condominiums.
The former Lowe School on Morrison Avenue in Davis Square is another popular school house condo association. The former school now houses 16 condominiums. The condos have very high ceilings – 12′ in some units – and condos on the third floor have private decks, some have skylights. The location is clearly a big draw with the heart of Davis Square just a couple of blocks away. The last condo sale in MLS at the Lowe School was two years ago when a two-bedroom condo sold for $402,000.
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Dreaming of a schoolhouse condo of your own? Click on the buttons below to search the MLS for Somerville and Cambridge condos. And if you would like some help with your real estate search call me at 617-504-1737 or email me – I would be delighted to help.
Cambridge Real Estate – Cambridge Condos With Swimming Pools
As a real estate agent in Cambridge I get to do a lot of dreaming. “Oh, if I only lived here…”, “Ooh – can you imagine coming home to this?” or “If I lived here I’d really get some exercise!”
My idea of heaven would be an indoor pool that I didn’t have to care for myself. I love to swim but the outdoor swimming season in New England is not that long. An indoor pool seems ideal – and all the better is somebody else is responsible for the day to day upkeep. If you’d rather get a tan and meet your neighbors while lounging poolside, a Cambridge condo with an outdoor pool may fit the bill.
Cambridge real estate buyers who long to take a dip after work have a number of options:
Cambridge Condos With Indoor Pools
Cambridge real estate buyers who want the convenience of an indoor pool – and the possibility of giving up that gym membership – have options in several Cambridge condo developments.
The Esplanade at 75-83 Cambridge Parkway, near the Cambridge Galleria and Boston and overlooking the Charles River, has a beautiful lap pool and an exercise room. The Esplanade is a luxury building, with concierge, garage parking, and many units with amazing river views. Sales in 2009 at the Esplanade included a one-bedroom condo on the seventh floor that sold for $435,000 and a two-bedroom condo with beautiful views of Boston and the Charles River that sold for $1,950,000.
SEARCH FOR CONDOS AT THE ESPLANADE IN CAMBRIDGE
Regatta Riverview is also close to Boston and near the Charles River. These condos were formerly Museum Tower rentals and were converted to condominiums several years ago. A former gym located in one of the towers is now a private fitness facility with lap pool for residents. Regatta Riverview has a 24-hour concierge, a business center, private theater, and garage parking. Recent sale prices for condominiums sold in 2009 ranged from $415,000 to $635,000.
SEARCH FOR CONDOS AT THE REGATTA IN CAMBRIDGE
River Court, yet another Cambridge condo building on the Charles River near Boston, also has an indoor lap pool. River Court, at 10 Rogers Street in Cambridge, was built in 1989 and has a concierge, exercise facility with lap pool, and garage parking. Sale prices for condos sold in the last two years have ranged from $392,000 to $927,250.
SEARCH FOR CONDOS AT RIVER COURT
Indoor Pool at Fresh Pond Place Condos in Cambridge
Fresh Pond Place is at the other end of the city, in West Cambridge in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood. Not only is there an indoor pool with sauna but the complex is just across the street from Fresh Pond with its two-mile trail around the reservoir, public golf course, and playground. No gym membership needed! The townhouses at Fresh Pond Place were built in the early 1980s. Walk down the nicely landscaped paths to the poolhouse and take a dip.
SEARCH FOR CONDOS AT FRESH POND PLACE IN CAMBRIDGE
Cambridge Condos With Outdoor Pools
Cambridge summers definitely heat up and an after work dip will be mighty nice. The pool-side social scene gives you a chance to meet your neighbors which is not always easy in the city. Here are some Cambridge condominiums with outdoor pools:
Thomas Graves Landing at 4 – 6 Canal Park, yet another East Cambridge complex, is near the Museum of Science and Cambridgeside Galleria. The complex was built in 1989 and sits aside a canal that feeds into the Charles River. Many condominiums have water views. Thomas Graves Landing is a full-service building with concierge, garage parking, health club, and an outdoor pool. In the last year, condos at Thomas Graves Landing (sometimes called by its address, Canal Park) have sold for $310,000 to $585,000.
SEARCH FOR CONDOS AT THOMAS GRAVES LANDING
Bay Square at 950 Massachusetts Avenue is midway between Harvard Square and Central Square. A full-service luxury building, Bay Square was built in 1989. Building amenities include a 24-hour concierge, fitness center, garage parking and an outdoor pool. The most recent sales at Bay Square in the MLS were for a studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom that sold for $305,000, $430,000, and $600,00o respectively.
SEARCH FOR CONDOS AT BAY SQUARE
19 Chauncy Street is an 18-unit building built in 1972 very close to Harvard Square. The building has an elevator and garage parking. Relax outside by the pool or on the large common deck. A two-bedroom condo sold in 2008 for $575,000.
SEARCH FOR CONDOS AT 19 CHAUNCY STREET
Whether it’s a condo with a pool that you’re looking for or something else on your real estate wish list, call or email Liz for help finding the perfect place in Cambridge or nearby.
Cambridge Real Estate Market – Two Bedroom Cambridge Condos
Cambridge real estate buyers often decide that a condo is the best option for them. With an average sale price of over $1,000,000 houses in Cambridge are expensive. Condos offer other benefits beyond price including shared responsibility for upkeep and maintenance in small associations or perhaps a management company that handles the day to day upkeep for condo owners. Many first time buyers are looking for two-bedroom condominiums. Here’s a look at recent activity in the Cambridge real estate market. All information is from MLSpin.
Two-Bedroom Cambridge Condos – the Cambridge Real Estate Market in 2009
Since January 1, 2009:
- 51 two-bedroom condos sold in Cambridge
- Average sale price of a two-bedroom condo: $450,624
- Median sale price of a two-bedroom condo: $418,000
- Average price per square foot: $433
- Two-bedroom Cambridge condominiums sold on average for 97% of asking price
- Average days on market: 93
Cambridge condos with two bedrooms sold since the beginning of 2009 for prices ranging from $204,000 to $1,250,000. Actually one sale, the most expensive of the lot, was in co-op ownership.
What You Get for The Money in 2009 – Cambridge Two Bedroom Condos and Co-ops
For $204,000 a four room, two-bedroom, one bath, 835 sq. ft. condo sold on Willow Street, near Inman Square. The condo was on the second floor of a three-unit building and in need of renovation.
For the median price of $418,000, a five room, two bedroom, 1.5 bath condo in a newly renovated triple-decker sold on Wood Street. This 969 sq.ft. second floor condo had central air conditioning , in-unit washer and dryer, and one parking space.
The most expensive two-bedroom sale in 2009 to date, was an 1870 sq.ft. unit in co-op ownership on the sixth floor of 1010 Memorial Drive, the high rise pictured above, that sold for $1,250,000 in March 2009. Cambridge has a handful of buildings in co-op ownership. This unit had three bathrooms, garage parking, and stellar views of the Charles River which could be enjoyed from the enormous living room.
Two-Bedroom Condos – Cambridge Real Estate Options
Many Cambridge condos are in converted two and three-family houses. Others can be found in converted industrial buildings like the one on Brookline Street pictured at right. Many condos are in brick buildings built between 1900 and 1930. Other units are in high rises built in the 1960s to 1980s or in newer complexes built in the last few years. Of the 51 condos that have sold since the start of the year:
- Six condos were in two-family houses
- Ten condos were in three-family houses
- Nine condos were in buildings with 4 – 8 units
- Fifteen condos were in buildings with 12 – 24 units
- Eleven condos (actually 10 plus that one co-op!) sold in larger complexes with 31 – 436 units
Last year there were 161 two-bedroom condos on the real estate market in Cambridge on April 28th. Today there are 165 two-bedroom condos for sale in Cambridge. Average days on market for two bedroom Cambridge condos was 149 a year ago, now it is 111. Search for Cambridge condominiums here:
SEARCH THE MLS FOR CAMBRIDGE CONDOS
And if you would like more information about the Somerville real estate market see:
And for more information about the Cambridge real estate market including Cambridge condos, single families and multi-family sales see:
Cambridge Real Estate Market Monthly Report
Continental Terrace Condos – 29 Concord Avenue Cambridge MA
If you’ve never been inside 29 Concord Avenue in Cambridge you’re in for a treat.
Continental Terrace, 29 Concord Ave. Cambridge – Hugh Stubbins Architect
Designed in 1959 by internationally renowned modernist architect Hugh Stubbins Jr. of Cambridge, the Continental Terrace building has a dramatic central atrium that rises eight stories. Fifty years after its construction, the building feels totally modern and entering the soaring lobby still has a dramatic impact.
Hugh Stubbins (1912-2006) graduated from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. Early in his career he affiliated with the firm of Royal Barry Wills, one of my favorite local architects, well known for very traditional colonial reproductions. Stubbins introduced Wills to Modernism and they designed several Modernist houses together. Walter Gropius invited Stubbins to teach at Harvard in 1940 where he remained for 15 years while simultaneously working in his own architecture firm. Stubbins left Harvard in 1954 to devote himself to his own practice.
Inside the condos at 29 Concord Avenue Cambridge
29 Concord Avenue is an elevator building with just over 100 condominums on eight floors. Condos are accessed from walkways that overlook the dramatic skylit atrium. Floor plans include studios (avg. ~ 400 sq.ft.), one-bedrooms (avg. ~ 500 sq.ft.) and two-bedrooom condominiums (avg. ~ 850 sq.ft.). Originally designed with small kitchens outfitted with enameled metal cabinets and apartment size appliances, many of the condo owners have renovated their units. Well designed, the condos pack a lot of storage space into a compact layout. Sliders lead to outside balconies which were recently refurbished in the course of a major buildings improvements project. Heat is included in the condo fee.
Some of the condos have parking spaces, covered or uncovered, behind the bulding. The Red Line subway in Harvard Square is an easy walk and the bus and electric trolley run in front of the building on Concord Avenue.
Recent 29 Concord Avenue Sales
MLS shows only one sale at 29 Concord Ave since 2012. In 2014 a 497 sq.ft. one-bedroom on the 8th floor sold for $390,000. The condo had its original kitchen but did have a covered parking space.
Other Buildings Designed by Architect Hugh Stubbins Jr
Over the course of his career Stubbins and his firm designed more than 800 buildings in eight countries. Many of the firm’s projects were done for schools and colleges. Among their projects were the:
- Congress Hall in Berlin, Germany (1957)
- Citicorp Center in New York City (1976-78)
- Federal Reserve Bank in Boston (1978)
- Ronald Reagan Presidential Library (1991)
- Landmark Tower in Yokohama Japan – Japan’s tallest building (1993) and Stubbins’ last major project
Other Cambridge Buildings by Hugh Stubbins
- Pusey Library at Harvard
- Loeb Drama Center, home to the American Repertory Theatre
- Countway Library of Medicine at Harvard
- 1105 Massachusetts Ave.
If there are condos available at 29 Concord Ave they will show below and you can click on the small photo for more info. Or you can search for all Cambridge condos for sale. Want some help finding the perfect Cambridge condo? I can do that! I’m Liz Bolton of ReMax Destiny and can be reached at 617-504-1737 or [email protected].
Info about sales of condominiums at 29 Concord Ave in Cambridge MA comes from MLSpin. Post by Elizabeth Bolton of ReMax Destiny, Cambridge.
The French School Condominiums – 69 Harvey Street, Cambridge MA 02140
The French School Condos at 69 Harvey Street, Cambridge MA occupy a handsome brick building constructed in 1900. The building was converted to condominiums in 1989. There are sixteen condos in the association – four units on each of the four floors. A wide staircase with shallow steps rises through the building – there is no elevator. Condos at the French School range in size from 989 sq.ft. to 1390 sq.ft.
Condo layouts vary but are open and loft-like. Most have exposed brick walls. The windows are large and ceilings high – appealing features often found in schoolhouse conversions. The condominiums have in-unit laundry and off street parking.
History of the French School
69 Harvey Street Cambridge MA was built by the French Canadian community in North Cambridge in 1900. Built to house the Notre Dame de Pitie School, the building became a convent in 1916 when the school moved to a new facility at Rindge and Sargent Streets. The building was once again converted in 1961 when it became a manufacturing facility.
The French School Neighborhood and Location
French School – Facade Detail
Harvey Street is a one-way street running west off Mass Ave in North Cambridge. Harvey Street intersects Massachusetts Avenue at the point where the bike path to Davis Square crosses the Avenue. Davis Square is just a short walk away via the bike path. There you’ll find the Davis Square T stop, the Somerville Theatre, and a variety of shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants. More shops and restaurants line Mass Ave all the way into Arlington or towards Porter Square and Harvard Square.
In the other direction, the Alewife T station – the first (or last!) stop on the Red Line T is not far since Harvey Street ends at Russell Field across from the T station. One of several cohousing communities in Cambridge, Cornerstone Cohousing, built in 2000-2001, is at 175 Harvey Street. In spring you can meet your neighbors at the North Cambridge open studios tour.
Recent Real Estate Sales at the French School Condominiums
There haven’t been many sales at 69 Harvey Street. A top floor condo with two bedrooms and two baths sold for $519,000 in 2012. A unit with an atypical layout for the French School – over 2300 square feet on the first floor and lower level – sold for $500,000 in 2013.
If any condos are available at the French School they’ll show below. Or you can see all the condos on the market in Cambridge right now. And if you dream of living in a converted school give me a call – I can help. Liz Bolton – 617-504-1737
Sales information for 69 Harvey St Cambridge MA from MLSpin. Post written by Elizabeth Bolton, ReMax Destiny, Cambridge MA.
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