mondoboston.com

Posted by Pam on August 4th, 2008 in real estate advice

Who hasn’t had the dream of living in a huge open space, with enormous windows, high ceilings, and an open industrial-style kitchen? You would dress in black all the time. Your neighbors would be artists and filmmakers. You would throw lavish parties.

Well, that’s definitely the loft dream but plenty of people are making that dream a reality.

New “loft-style” developments are indulging buyers’ desires to live in a big open space, but with the added twist of private, enclosed bedrooms. Dozens of these “loft-style” buildings have hit the market, especially in Chinatown (Lofts Avana), the South End (285 Columbus Lofts, Art Block, D-4, 700 Harrison, The Penmark), and downtown Boston  (FP3, 210 South Street). There are also plenty of loft-like buildings being built or converted in neighborhoods outside downtown — The Waterworks in Chestnut Hill, the American Brewery Lofts in Jamaica Plain, and the Lofts at 36A Street in South Boston, to name a few. These join dozens of other lofts or “loft-like” projects spread throughout the Boston area, Cambridge, and into the distant suburbs.

But what if you’re in search of something that is not just “loft-like” but actually a loft? Not a modern building built to look like a loft, but an old industrial building that has been turned into a place you could call home?

Well if authenticity is your priority, admittedly, there’s less to choose from, but you’ve still got options. Several projects around Boston are in fact old industrial buildings that have been reconfigured for residential use. The Waterworks in Chestnut Hill, for example, was a steam-powered pumping station for the Chestnut Hill Reservoir. The American Brewery Lofts  was actually an old beer plant, while the Schoolhouse in Lower Mills was of course, an old school, and the Penny Savings Bank formerly a bank. 

However, aside from these individual projects scattered around Boston, if you are in search of an authentic loft in an old industrial building, than you need to look to certain areas of the city: in particular, the Fort Point Area.

Originally a district of warehouses and factories making wool, soap, iron, glass, elevators and beer, the Fort Point district had its heyday in the 1920s. By the 1940s, however, most of the area’s factories relocated outside the city. By the 1970s, hundreds of artists had taken over some of the old abandoned buildings and turned them into studios. With the arrival of the artists, the neighborhood became hip, and ultimately, real estate developers moved in to turn the artists studio lofts into residential lofts for the well-heeled. Because of its history as a warehouse district, Fort Point remains the best place to look for a truly authentic loft with all the trappings.  Some of the most popular buildings in the neighborhood are at 21 Wormwood Street, 35 Channel Center and 33 Sleeper Street.

 Beyond Fort Point, another good place to look is the Leather District in Downtown Boston. Specifically, Atlantic Avenue, Beach Street, Lincoln Street and South Street  offer former industrial and commercial buildings that have been converted into airy lofts. Outside of downtown, look for lofts in Chelsea, Somerville, Lynn and East Boston.

What’s the advantage of an older loft conversion over a new “loft-style” apartment? Style, for one. True lofts don’t have the “cookie-cutter” feel of ”loft-style” apartments. In addition, many loft-style apartments are actually pretty small, and the whole point of a loft is SPACE. There is a downside, however, true lofts, also come with inconveniences — less privacy due to no enclosed bedroom, sometimes acoustical problems due to lack of sound insulation between floors, and sometimes, darkness due to deep layouts. After a few years of living with these problems, some loft-dwellers choose to move back to “loft-style” apartments. Yes, they get windows and wide open spaces, but also a private bedroom, too!

Where to look for lofts:

Boston Lofts
A Boston Loft
Findlay & Co Lofts
Lofts Boston.com