Developer Seeking 16 Townhouses Off Frontage Road On Belmont Hill

Photo: An architectural rendering of the proposed 16 townhouse project off Frontage Road on Belmont Hill. (EMBARC)

The email message to this media outlet was a call to arms: “How can someone even think about placing an apartment complex in our neighborhood of homes? How?”

The consternation from at least one Belmont Hill resident comes as a Florida-based developer is proposing to build 16 townhouse units on approximately half an acre of land at 91 Beatrice Cir., located off of Frontage Road between Park Avenue and Pleasant Street.

The proposed project will highlight the Select Board’s Monday, June 1 remote virtual meeting at 7 p.m.

The development team has applied for a comprehensive permit under Chapter 40B, the sometimes contentious state law enacted in 1969 to promote the construction of low- and moderate-income housing.

The law allows developers to skirt local zoning regulations – such as for density and lot restrictions – if 20 to 25 percent of the project units have long-term affordability restrictions and the town’s housing stock is less than 10 percent affordable. The development team is setting aside four units as affordable to households earning 80 percent of the median income around Boston.

And Comprehensive Land will be seeking waivers from 10 zoning bylaws – including restrictions on attached apartments in the SR-A district, the requirement that a nonconforming development undergoes the Planning Board’s Design and Site Plan Review, minimum lot area, open space limited, yard setbacks and lot coverage, to name a few – and from the town’s stormwater management and control bylaw.

In a letter to Select Board Chair Roy Epstein dated May 13, MassHousing, the state agency that oversees 450B proposals, has already begun the process of reviewing the application and seeking information from the town on moving forward with the project.

For the developer, this townhouse project will allow moderate-income families the opportunity to live in Belmont.

“Through Chapter 40B’s streamlined permitting, the proposed project creates affordable rental opportunities, with larger units that have the potential to provide much-needed family housing,” said the developer in its application to MassHousing. “The average single home sales price in Belmont over the past twelve months exceeded $1,250,000.”

Comprehensive Land Holding, LLC – made up of Joseph, Jacob and Stephen Tamposi on this project – of the Gulf Coast community of Hernando has long roots in New England (Samuel Tamposi Sr. made the family fortune in real estate and business holdings in southern New Hampshire) constructing upscale homes in upscale communities such as Wayland while expanding to the Sunshine State where it built “our family’s flagship community.

The Tamposi’s 40B project in Belmont is not their first in the area. In fact, the family has made quite a splash down in Milton where it’s proposing two large scale affordable projects totaling 252 units with 380 parking spaces.

The developers purchased the existing structure – a seven-room brick ranch built 72 years ago – after a wave of activity as the property was sold three times in the past three years. The 2,700 sq.-ft. structure was bought for $1.4 million, a cool $300,000 over the assessed value.

The project consists of a pair of buildings – laid out east to west on the lot – each with eight connected wood-framed townhouses. The southern row of housing will consist of three bedrooms in three stories, 1,480 sq.-ft townhouses; the building closest to Frontage Road will be four bedroom, four stories at 1,800 sq.-ft.

There will be a parking space inside each townhouse and 10 additional spaces for overflow parking. The lot is situated across from a number 84 MBTA bus stop with access to Alewife Red Line station.

The unnamed Belmont project is following a decade long development trend of building residential apartment and condominium blocks along Route 2 inbound towards Cambridge. Multi-unit blocks now dot the landscape from the Belmont line – including the Royal Belmont – to a recently opened 320-unit apartment complex where the Lanes & Games bowling alley and the Gateway Motel once stood.

Sold in Belmont: Three Properties With The Dreaded One Bathroom

Photo: One bathroom didn’t hamper the sale of these three properties.

A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven days in the “Town of Homes.”

• 32 Skahan Rd., Condo (1920). Sold for $589,000. Living area: 1,101 sq.-ft. 6 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 36 days. Last sold: Dec. 2008, $369,000.

27 Irving St.#2, Condo (1880). Sold for $480,000. Listed at $460,000. Living area: 827 sq.-ft. 4 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath. On the market: 36 days. Last sold: April 2006, $341,000.

69 South Cottage Rd.#2, Townhouse condo (2012). Sold for $1,298,000. Listed at $1,395,000. Living area: 2,481 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 153 days. Last sold: July 2012, $1,075,000.

209 Channing Rd., Brick ranch (1960). Sold for $695,000. Listed at $719,000. Living area: 1,428 sq.-ft. 5 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 87 days. Last sold: Oct. 1963, $20,800.

Sold In Belmont: Only Million Dollar Sales This Week, Please

Photo: Three million dollar plus sales including a 167 year old Dutch Colonial on Brighton within sight of Little Pond.

A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven days in the “Town of Homes.”

5 South Cottage Rd., Contemporary townhouse (2008). Sold: $1,410,000. Listed at $1,438,000. Living area: 2,972 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths. On the market: 110 days. Last sold: Sept. 2010, $975,000.

167 Lewis Rd., Colonial (1935). Sold: $1,220,000. Listed at $1,375,000. Living area: 2,729 sq.-ft. 10 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 106 days. Last sold: May 2002, $755,000.

163 Brighton St., Dutch Colonial (1850). Sold: $1,190,000. Listed at $1,049,000. Living area: 2,592 sq.-ft. 9 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 57 days. Last sold: July 2014, $969,000.

Sold In Belmont: Ranch (House) On The Hill Sells For $1.14 Million

Photo: A ranch house built on a slab of concrete with oil heat and with a town grade of C+; that’s worth a cool million in Belmont.

A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven days in the “Town of Homes.”

49 Robin Wood Rd., Ranch (1957). Sold: $1,140,000. Listed at $1,129,000. Living area: 2,144 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 50 days. Last sold: June 1989, $325,000. 

• 100 Common St. Apt. 2, Condominium (1880/1980). Sold: $430,000. Listed at $420,000. Living area: 1,278 sq.-ft. 3 rooms, 1 bedroom, 1 bath. On the market: 47 days. Last sold: June 2004, $379,000.

• 483 Pleasant St., [George Varnum Fletcher House] Second Empire/Free standing condo (1868). Sold: $1,770,000. Listed at $2,000,000. Living area: 4,776 sq.-ft. 10 rooms, 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths. On the market: 104 days. Last sold: Sept. 2009, $1,305,375.

• 18 Woodland St. Unit 1, Condo in two-family (1910). Sold: $552,000. Listed at $525,000. Living area: 1,100 sq.-ft. 5 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath. On the market: 55 days. Last sold: New condo conversion.

• 39 Woods Rd., expanded Cape (1955). Sold: $910,000. Listed at $899,000. Living area: 1,546 sq.-ft. 6 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 54 days. Last sold: June 1991, $230,000.

Sold in Belmont: $3.5M For Slice of Former Pizza Mogul’s Homestead

Photo: A highlight of smart, architectural sensitive renovation in a split level in the Winn Brook.

A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven days in the “Town of Homes.”

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• 27 Willow St., Old-style (1903). Sold: $1,075,000. Listed at $1,075,000. Living area: 2,557 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 81 days.

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• 7 Sherman St., Prewar Cape Cod (1940) Sold: $736,000. Listed at $769,000. Living area: 1,391 sq.-ft. 6 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 79 days.

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7 Sumner Ln., Something huge. Sold: $3,400,000. Listed at $3,350,000. Living area: 5,800 sq.-ft. (est). 12 rooms, 6 bedrooms, 5.5 baths. On the market: 685 days.

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• 141 Claflin St., Brick and cedar shingle old-style (1933). Sold: $1,075,000. Listed at $925,000. Living area: 2,184 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 42 days.

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• 80 Douglas Rd., Colonial (1940). Sold: $925,000. Listed at $849,000. Living area: 2,121 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 60 days.

An expensive slice in Belmont

Do you think that your children should strive for a career in STEM? How about health care? Finance? Forget all those loser jobs mentioned above. I want to say one word to you. Just one word. 

Pizza! As the actor, Kevin James said, “There’s no better feeling in the world than a warm pizza box on your lap.”

If there is an occupation with more than its fair share of ultra-wealthy entrepreneurs, it’s those who can build a better pie. Mike Ilitch, the owner of  Little Caesars Pizza, was worth $6.1 billion and owned two major sports teams when he died last month, Domino’s Pizza’s Tom Monaghan sold his business to Bain Capital for $1 billion, John Schnatter of Papa John’s Pizza is worth $750 million and the list goes on and on.

And Belmont has its pizza mogul. Joey Crugnale decided to start his pizza shop in Davis Square, Somerville in a storefront he bought in 1981 to prevent a competitor from opening a shop two doors from Crugnale’s first big hit, Steve’s Ice Cream. Out of that almost accidental piece of good fortune began Bertucci’s Brick Oven Pizzerias with its first-of-its-kind open-hearth brick ovens, specialty topping pies and cool, youthful vibe (the Somerville location had a bocce court in the basement). By the time he was outbid by the NE Restaurant Co. for his company in 1998, Crugnale had built an empire of 84 Bertucci’s worth millions.

In 1992, Crugnale used some of his pizza and ice cream money – he had sold Steve’s in 1982 – to purchase for $1.6 million one the largest (8,800 square feet!) residential houses in Belmont located at Concord Avenue and Sumner Lane – the “lane” runs from Concord to Somerset and borders the Weeks family property – from another food-based fellow, David Mugar of the Star Market fortune. (Mugar didn’t move far, just over to Marsh Street.) Not only is the house large – 17 rooms with five full and three half bathrooms! – it sits in the middle of a meadow, to provide maximum privacy. 

After living in his century-old brick manse for two decades, Crugnale decided to do with his property what he did with his pizza; cut it into slices and make a greater profit. 

In 2010, he got together with a development company called Concord Estates LLC run by Belmont’s favorite developer, Joe DeStefano, who paid Crugnale $1.8 million for five “slices” in 2010 at 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 Sumner Lane.

Concord Estates had taken its time to sell not just the parcels but the custom-made houses with the first homes sold in 2015 with 1 Sumner selling for $3.2 million (6 beds, 5.5 baths, 6,440 sq.-ft.) while DeStefano took 3 Sumner for himself while 10 Sumner was sold in 2016 at $3.4 million.

And last week, 7 Sumner was sold for $3.4 million. So what do you get? From the sales pitch, you’ll live on a “brand new picturesque private road [which] offers in(-)town living in the most coveted exclusive Belmont Hill location” while its “rolling lawns and graceful old trees will give you the feeling of the [O]ld [S]outh.” The “Old South”? Really? On Sumner Lane, as in Fort Sumner? Is this manse being sold in Belmont, North Carolina?  

“This classic turn-of-the-century inspired new home will offer incredible country views, peeks of the Boston skyline and acres of conservation land. All of these homes are one of a kind built with incredible craftsmanship and refined details.” 

Sounds like you’d want to join the club? There’s one slice left on the plate at 5 Sumner according to the Belmont assessors.

Sold in Belmont: Only Million Dollar Homes Need Apply This Week

Photo: The only single family home to sell last week and, as always, at a premium.

A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven days in the “Town of Homes.”

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58 Summitt Rd., Townhouse (2005). Sold: $1,140,000. Listed at $1,275,000. Living area: 2,880 sq.-ft. 9 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths. On the market: 92 days.

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19 Fieldmont Rd., Tudor (1925). Sold: $1,195,000. Listed at $2,300,000. Living area: 3,952 sq.-ft. 10 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths. On the market: 173 days.

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54 Selwyn Rd., Center entrance Colonial (1925). Sold: $1,250,000. Listed at $1,035,000. Living area: 2,763 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 68 days.

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47 Homer Rd., Center entrance Colonial (1940). Sold: $1,650,000. Listed at $1,699,900. Living area: 3,080 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths. On the market: 68 days.

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80-82 Lewis Rd., Two family (1924). Sold: $1,089,500. Listed at $995,000. Living area: 3,100 sq.-ft. 15 rooms, 7 bedrooms, 3 baths. On the market: 82 days.

Sold in Belmont: ‘Birder’s’ First Home Is A Historic Hit

Photo: Birdland.

A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven-plus days in the “Town of Homes”:

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• 74 Richmond Rd., Colonial (1935). Sold: $807,400. Listed at $789,000. Living area: 1,935 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 59 days.

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• 10 Indian Hill Rd., Colonal (1930). Sold: $1,270,000. Listed at $1,150,000. Living area: 2,293 sq.-ft. 9 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 69 days.

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• 358 Brighton St., Garrison Colonal (1937). Sold: $913,000. Listed at $875,000. Living area: 1,946 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 75 days.

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• 76 Lincoln St., Colonal (1939). Sold: $1,250,000. Listed at $1,225,000. Living area: 2,674 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths. On the market: 63 days.

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• 46 Centre Ave., the Chandler Robbins house, Old-Style Italianate (1870). Sold: $1,250,000. Listed at $1,225,000. Living area: 3,708 sq.-ft. 9 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths. On the market: 77 days.

At the point where Old Concord Road turns into Centre Avenue stands a piece of history. Situated in the hillside with a view of Boston a mere eight miles away standing the Italianate-style home where a 12-year-old boy would start his journey to become one of the greatest ornithologist of our era.

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Chandler Robbins. Photo credit: Barbara Dowell

Chandler Seymour Robbins was born on the last year of the Great War and grew up in Belmont, in a time and place, according to an article in the November-December 2014 edition of Audubon magazine, “where everything to the east of him was ‘houses and Boston’  and everything to the west was woods and fields.”

He obtained his love for birding and the outdoors from his father, Samuel Dowse Robbins, a pioneering research speech pathologist who was related from a long line of clergy and Roger Wellington, the first settler of Belmont in 1636. Chandler’s father established the town’s first Boy Scout troop who spent a great deal of time in the wildlife refuge Samuel preserved that included most of Belmont north of Pleasant Street. 

They shared the love of studying all the bird that winged through the town, including leading Belmont’s annual Christmas Bird Count.

“[Chandler] roamed those woods using 3X opera glasses to watch birds and other animals – his de facto biology training – and spent his summers chasing shorebirds on the beach at Gloucester,” according to the Audubon.

From that beginning, the younger Robbins soon traveled to the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland that became his base of operation. A legend among birders for his knowledge, dedication and friendliness, he initiated the annual North American Breeding Bird Survey, studied the effects of DDT on birds with his colleague Rachel Carson, and wrote A Guide to Field Identification of the Birds of North America with Bertel Bruun and Herbert Zim, the gold standard of reference books. Robbins continues to study birds at Patuxent to this day.

The house – named for Chandler’s grandfather – is on the original Concord Turnpike, laid out in 1804. Make no mistake, it has undergone extensive renovation in the past 20 years – for a total of $100,000 ($80,000 by the last owner) – including recent work on walls, windows, floors, bringing the electrical up to code, putting in a gas line and repairing the garage. 

While much of the interior detail doesn’t appear to be original, the owner wisely showed a great deal of restraint in not loading up on extras such as track lightning or walk-in closets. There is a tasteful understanding that “less is more” to highlight the uniqueness of a historic house: the bay window in the dining room, the non-standard layout of the kitchen, the living room’s French doors that lead you visually and phyically to the enclosed porch. And look at the master bedroom – not huge but comfy – with an adjacent sunroom (which appears to be an addition). Much more appealing than the 20’x20′ bedroom “suite” with those attached horrid mega bathrooms (do you really need a tub ten feet from the bed?) which today’s “architects” inflict on the public.

A bit pricy for a house – at a million and a quarter – that, knock on wood, won’t suffer an aging related set back. But you do get a view of Boston (through the trees) and hopefully lots of birds flying in from the nearby Habitat. 

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Sold In Belmont: Condo Quintet A Nice Affordability Sound; Common Million Again

Photo: 

A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven-plus days in the “Town of Homes”:

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• 135 Slade St., Top floor condominium (1920). Sold: $649,000. Listed at $648,500. Living area: 1,777 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 74 days.

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• 267 Beech St., Unit 2, Top floor condominium (1928). Sold: $725,000. Listed at $749,000. Living area: 1,965 sq.-ft. 9 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 80 days.

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• 20 Chester Rd. Unit 1, Condominium (1917). Sold: $489,000. Listed at $460,000. Living area: 1,113 sq.-ft. 5 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 32 days.

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• 191 Common St., Colonial (1925). Sold: $1,550,000. Listed at $1,425,000. Living area: 2,488 sq.-ft. 10 rooms, 5 bedrooms, 3 full, 2 half baths. On the market: 53 days.

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• 90 Lewis Rd., Top floor Condominium (1923). Sold: $630,000. Listed at $599,900. Living area: 1,690 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 54 days.

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• 274 Washington St., Brick and shingle English Colonial (1930). Sold: $1,040,000. Listed at $935,000. Living area: 2,251 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 54 days.

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• 30 Marlboro St., Unit 1., Condominium (1916). Sold: $527,000. Listed at $499,000. Living area: 1,690 sq.-ft. 6 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 83 days.

There has been a great deal discussed – here in Belmont (through the effort of the Belmont Citizens Forum) and the State Senate – on modifying the town’s zoning bylaws to increase the number of affordable housing units in town and across the Commonwealth. One aim is to make building homes with greater density in residential neighborhoods, specifically allowing two families to be “by right” (and skipping the need for a Special Permit) in more areas of town.

This past week, five condominiums in two families were sold for between $729,000 – a big nine roomer with nearly 2,000 sq.-ft. – and $489,000, far more affordable (but barely reasonable for a couple with middle-class income) than the medium price for a single-family house that is nearly seven figures. 

And the condos have something for many: a great starter home or a place for the empty nester. It would also be a place for a small family to spend the 12 years to get through the school years. Take a look at the detail.

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267 Beech St., Unit 2

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267 Beech St., Unit 2

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267 Beech St., Unit 2

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20 Chester Rd Unit 1

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20 Chester Rd Unit 1

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20 Chester Rd Unit 1

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90 Lewis Rd.

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90 Lewis Rd.

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90 Lewis Rd.

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135 Slade St.

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135 Slade St.

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135 Slade St.

And the star of the quintet of condo is the one on Marlboro Street. A steal at $527,000 for 1,300 sq.-ft. with beautiful wood molding, modern kitchen, renovated bath (in proper white), a quirky layout and space out back. Everything to love.

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30 Marlboro St Unit 1.

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30 Marlboro St Unit 1.

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30 Marlboro St Unit 1.

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30 Marlboro St Unit 1.

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30 Marlboro St Unit 1.

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30 Marlboro St Unit 1.

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30 Marlboro St Unit 1.

It might be harder to develop these economical units in the future after Town Meeting approved a four-year moratorium (expanding on a temporary ban) prohibiting the construction of two-family houses on single families lots in the general residence zone. 

Since the moratorium will sunset in 2018, hopefully, there will not be a prejudice against building two families that are similar to these beauties. 

Common Street, as in “it’s now common to see a million house” on this road. The latest is 191 Common St., which is located near St. Joe’s and the Wellington, a building that just seven years ago barely broke $650,000. Much of that was due to a typical situation in Belmont; a long-time owner who didn’t keep up with repairs and modernizing the systems.

The new owners could see beyond the aging infrastructure and years of neglect and got to work. They threw in $105,000 into a new roof, replacing all 36 windows and all bathrooms were renovated as was the kitchen with a freaky harlequin black and white floor. They also enclosed the porch and built a new deck. They also put a few bucks to landscaping, siding and interior work.

The result: the once-threadbare home was sold for more than $1.5 million, nearly three times what they bought it.

Sold in Belmont: Clifton Street ‘Vacant Lot’ Tops $1.2M

Photo: Ready, set, build!

You knew when Colleen Baxter O’Connell arrived at the Chenery Middle School from her home on Clifton Street on Belmont Hill.

“You’d see Colleen drive her Camero into the school’s parking lot,” said Ellen Cushman who was taught by O’Connell in the early 1970s when she was already in her 60s, who was known for her no-nonsense approach to teaching mathematics.

And her thrill for speed remained with her well into retirement.

“You didn’t start the Belmont Garden Club meetings until you heard Colleen’s driving up in her sports car,” said Cushman.

And in the past two weeks, O’Connell was remembered once again as the now vacant lot where her house once stood was purchased by a yet-to-be-named buyer for a cool $1.24 million from the Belmont resident who bought and quickly tore down what was a dilapidated Colonial two years ago.

The house – 2,642 sq.-ft., 10 rooms, 3 beds, 1.5 baths – was built in 1929 and the type of home a middle-income couple could afford in the 1950s, even with a Belmont Hill address. O’Connell spent nearly 50 years in the house, first with her husband, Harrison, and two children, and then by herself until she died in April 2004 at 99 years old.

After her death, the family attempted to make a go of the house by reportedly having renters stay in the building. But the overall condition of the house was rated by town assessors as “below average.” Yet the battered appearance didn’t appear to affect the home’s assessed value which nearly doubled from $542,000 in 1993 to $1,052,000 in 2003. 

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Finally, a decade after O’Connell’s dead, the property was sold in late 2013 to Claflin Street resident Paul Emello for $750,000. Emello then promptly took a wrecking ball to the house and placed a “for sale” sign on the street. The list price: $1.8 million. Wow, that’s chutzpah to attempt to flip a vacant lot for a million dollars.

Clifton Street is located on Belmont Hill which, it turns out, isn’t the same as Beverly Hills. A drop in price was expected, a reality set in. Within a year, the list fell to $1,349,000 and by November 2015 it took a $70,000 haircut to $1,279,000. Still nothing. Then in late June, a deal was made: step back another $40,000 and that’s that. 

So who bought it? It hasn’t been recorded at the Middlesex South Registry of Deeds. But it won’t be an empty lot for long as the land is being groomed by a well-known Belmont landscape company. 

Sold in Belmont: Reaching For The Stars, And Being Pushed Back Down To Earth

Photo: A $2 million house? 

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169 Orchard St., Brick Colonial (1930). Sold: $930,000.

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38 Taylor Rd., Brick split ranch (1955). Sold: $886,000.

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13 Francis St., Condo in a two family (1927). Sold: $610,000.

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45 Middlecot St., Colonial (1953). Sold: $905,000.

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11 Rutledge Rd., Colonial (1940). Sold: $1,125,000.

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25 Thayer Rd., Condominium (1958). Sold: $275,000.

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318 Trapelo Rd., New attached condominium townhouse (2015). Sold: $1,035,000.

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104 Lewis Rd # 2., Condominium in two family (1923). Sold: $525,000.

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100 Lexington St. Apt C3, Classic Colonial (1977). Sold: $238,000.

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55 South Cottage Rd., Townhouse (2012). Sold: $1,240,000.

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53-55 Trowbridge St., Brick multi-family (1973). Sold: $900,000.

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21 Bartlett Ave., Second floor condominium (1964). Sold: $507,000.

A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven-plus days in the “Town of Homes”:

169 Orchard St., Brick Colonial (1930). Sold: $930,000. Listed at $1,999,000. Living area: 2,664 sq.-ft. 9 rooms, 5 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 340 days.

38 Taylor Rd., Brick split ranch (1955). Sold: $886,000. Listed at $869,000. Living area: 1,759 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 3 baths. On the market: 47 days.

13 Francis St., Condo in a two family (1927). Sold: $610,000. Listed at $579,000. Living area: 1,729 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 60 days.

45 Middlecot St., Colonial (1953). Sold: $905,000. Listed at $869,000. Living area: 1,610 sq.-ft. 6 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 46 days.

11 Rutledge Rd., Colonial (1940). Sold: $1,125,000. Listed at $1,199,000. Living area: 2,535 sq.-ft. 10 rooms, 5 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 74 days.

25 Thayer Rd., Condominium (1958). Sold: $275,000. Listed at $274,900. Living area: 615 sq.-ft. 4 rooms, 1 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 80 days.

• 318 Trapelo Rd., New attached condominium townhouse (2015). Sold: $1,035,000. Listed at $1,100,000. Living area: 2,900 sq.-ft. 9 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 3 full, 2 half bedrooms baths. On the market: 208 days.

104 Lewis Rd # 2., Condominium in two family (1923). Sold: $525,000. Listed at $499,000. Living area: 1,349 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 60 days.

100 Lexington St. Apt C3, Classic Colonial (1977). Sold: $238,000. Listed at $239,000. Living area: 774 sq.-ft. 3 rooms, 1 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 95 days.

55 South Cottage Rd., Townhouse (2012). Sold: $1,240,000. Listed at $1,249,000. Living area: 2,800 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 124 days.

53-55 Trowbridge St., Brick multi-family (1973). Sold: $900,000. Listed at $869,988. Living area: 3,200 sq.-ft. 13 rooms, 6 bedrooms, 3 full, 2 half bedrooms baths. On the market: 84 days.

21 Bartlett Ave., Second floor condominium (1964). Sold: $507,000. Listed at $484,000. Living area: 1,173 sq.-ft. 6 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 82 days.

If you attend St. Joe’s or walk your kids to Wellington Elementary, you are certain to have seen the brick Colonial at the north corner of the intersection of Common and Orchard streets. It’s at the crosswalk that’s busy twice each day school is in session and on Saturday before and after afternoon mass. It’s been owned by the same family for more than 50 years according to town assessor records. 

It’s one of several brick homes built by the same developer in and around 1930, solidly built (although the roof looks a bit threadbare) with lots of period interior features: wood floors, built-in cabinets in the dining room, original molding and baseboards and a custom center spiral staircase. There’s the standard upgraded kitchen with the standard cabinets and horrid granite countertop. It’s not a small house by any standard, at 2,700 sq.-ft. with five bedrooms, but several of the rooms do appear a bit … tight, such as the rectangular living room at 14×25 (the big bedroom is 20×16), dining room, 13×14, and a family room of 11×18. Throw furniture into the rooms and your walking sideways to get here to there. 

 All in all, a solid 85-year-old house … that’s worth $2 million? Gagh! Talk about reaching for the stars. While over the past decade, homes on Common Street have reached the $1 million threshold, rarely do you see a single family home breech $2 million outside of Belmont Hill. But there it was: a listing price of $1,999,000 in June, 2015, a mere thousand dollars from a double mill. Yes, Colonials are selling for a premium, but by more than a million dollars over its fiscal 2016 assessed value of $927,00?

[Editor: There is some readers who contend that the $1,999,000 is a misprint. Maybe so but it’s in the MLS under that amount.]

The initial price tag could have simply been a homeowner cashing in during a two-year stretch when property values soared by more than $200,000:  

  • 2016: $927,000
  • 2015: $845,000
  • 2014: $711,000

But even your wildest dreams need some basis in reality, and quickly the sales price tumbled by $800,000 to $1,199,000. And while the new listed price was that’s nearly $300,000 greater than the assessed value, it appeared the salesperson and owner were going to make that price work come hell or high water, stubbornly sitting on the price for seven months. Yet the broker had to put the waders on as buyers were unwilling to part with their hard-earned cash. 

Despite two price reductions – $1,099,000 in February and $1,050,000 in March – the brick Colonial sat there as the Spring season was about to pass them by. Likely, a buyer put a “low-ball” bid on the property which was happily accepted at $930,000, nearly bang-on the assessed value of $927,000. And for once, the market value prevailed.

The twin is sold

Back in March, one half of newly-built attached townhouses was sold on busy Trapelo Road for $1,040,000. The story of the condos – located the the midst of the hurly-burly of the Fire Department, banks, parks and a busy roadway – showed that sometimes a good design and new construction can be a success, even if you have to share a common wall and no backyard. 

Last week, the other half of the townhouse was purchased for $1,035,000. A bargain.