Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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Haute Property NEWS, STARS, AND TRENDS IN REAL ESTATE The Bradley Mansion's grand marble foyer has been restored, preserving the original staircase and turn-of-the-century architectural details. a grand revival A ONCE-OVERLOOKED SPAN OF COMMONWEALTH AVENUE IN BACK BAY EXPERIENCES AN UPSCALE RENAISSANCE. BY DONNA GARLOUGH PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDY RYAN C ompared to other multimillion-dollar Boston real estate projects, few things about The Bradley Mansion are expected. First, with just 11 units built around a sprawling, marble-clad lobby and the building's original curved staircase, it's a study in decadence that's rare in the squarefootage-starved Back Bay. Second, every residence in the historic building has its own personality, from a Marlborough-side flat with gold-leaf ceilings to a casual parlor-level residence featuring a skylit kitchen and children's wing. But what catches more people off guard is The Bradley's location: a stretch of Commonwealth Avenue west of Massachusetts Avenue that, 15 years ago, many brokers still referred to as "the wrong side of Comm." The Bradley's story, however, is the neighborhood's new story: one of intelligent reconstruction in a long-overlooked part of town that is finally, after decades of slow growth, getting its due. At the same time that The Bradley's units have sold, other lots nearby have been emerging, thanks largely to universities unloading their real estate holdings. The Harvard Club of Boston put its annex up for sale across the Commonwealth Avenue Mall from The Bradley, which is itself a former holding of Simmons College. Possibilities being considered for the nearly 20,000-square-foot space include luxury condos, corporate residences, and a boutique hotel. Behind The Bradley, another former Simmons lot is due to be razed this year and developed by The Holland Companies, the group that developed The Bradley. Originally three contiguous townhomes built at the turn of the 20th century, the structures that comprise the new Bradley Mansion were designed by the most respected names in late 19th- and early 20th-century New England architecture. Little and Browne created 407 and 411 Commonwealth Avenue, while Peabody & Stearns—known for the famed Custom House tower in Boston and opulent mansions in Newport—masterminded the single-family townhouse that sits between them. "The best architecture we have is in that part of town," says Tracy Campion, The Bradley Mansion's exclusive listing agent. continued on page 120 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM 119-120-BC_HP_Opener_Spring13.indd 119 119 2/12/13 2:57 PM