The Bon | 1260 Boylston Street | Fenway

My thoughts, too - I think the USPS has proven to not care at all about anything development wise, so.... if they are referring to the USPS sort facility then not sure I would bet on it going anywhere soon (stares at South Station).

For what it's worth on Tasty Burger Samuels in the past has called it out as wanting to keep it as a important part of the neighborhood and culture. Apparently he is a big fan. Not saying things don't change, but, at least that was the last I heard on it.

 
Well, I guess Samuels decided didn't really need the funky neighborhood character after all. Does that put them right across from Marky Mark's burger place?
 
Well, I guess Samuels decided didn't really need the funky neighborhood character after all. Does that put them right across from Marky Mark's burger place?

Although VERY close, I think Wahlburgers is on Brookline Ave not Van Ness. Techincally, Tasty Burger will be behind Wahlburgers (which is terrible by the way). I miss the original UBurger in Kenmore Sq. Grand Slam burger hold the mushrooms!
 
I remember uburger opening up, it was always pretty decent.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FK4
The building is across the street from the back side of Wahlburgers, but the Tasty Burger will not be on that corner, so not really across the street too much. Plus, what difference does it make? Tasty Burger is awesome, Marky Mark burger, not so much. If you know, you know.
 
Wasn't this supposed to be marketed for students? Someone making $130k salary would be at their limit to afford a 1 bedroom if they start at $3,755/mo.
 
Wasn't this supposed to be marketed for students? Someone making $130k salary would be at their limit to afford a 1 bedroom if they start at $3,755/mo.

Well, that's how they're going to "try to avoid" leasing to students I suppose...

Can't be more of a case study for why NIMBYISM results in more expensive housing, not less, but I digress. It's been argued plenty of times already.

with a stipulation that the developer would "try to avoid" leasing more than 25% of the units to undergraduates.

Because housing discrimination is just fine in the US if it's age-based. The residents of Fenway should be ashamed of themselves.
 
Well, that's how they're going to "try to avoid" leasing to students I suppose...

Wow, I'm constantly amazed at the premium people pay for "new" and "amenities". The two bed is quoted as starting at $5340/month and looks absolutely tiny. The "living room" appears to be the width and depth of a loveseat. I guess for old folks like me, who prefer brownstones in historic neighborhoods, it's a good thing. I paid less for a 1300 square foot, 2 bed with central AC, separate dining room, private roof deck, and parking on Comm Ave in the Back Bay. There was no gym or lounge though. Oh, and I had a single rent increase of 2% in 4.5 years.
 
I really don’t want this to come across as snarky, but when is the last time you looked at rents in back bay for new leases? The rents in Boston are absolutely insane right now. >$5k also gives me an emotional response but it is absolutely less than what you’d pay for a 2 bed on the grid in back bay.

I looked on Compass (a real estate app) and although there were no 2 beds with parking and outdoor space on Comm, the closest I could find were a 1200sf place on Marlborough and Mass for $6300 and a 1400sf place on Beacon and Dartmouth for $8k. 25% more to live in back bay might make sense, but that’s a substantial increase. I’d really encourage everyone to go look at comps right now because they’re brutal.
 
I really don’t want this to come across as snarky, but when is the last time you looked at rents in back bay for new leases? The rents in Boston are absolutely insane right now. >$5k also gives me an emotional response but it is absolutely less than what you’d pay for a 2 bed on the grid in back bay.

I looked on Compass (a real estate app) and although there were no 2 beds with parking and outdoor space on Comm, the closest I could find were a 1200sf place on Marlborough and Mass for $6300 and a 1400sf place on Beacon and Dartmouth for $8k. 25% more to live in back bay might make sense, but that’s a substantial increase. I’d really encourage everyone to go look at comps right now because they’re brutal.
We have no choice but to increase supply by building another Back Bay.
 
I really don’t want this to come across as snarky, but when is the last time you looked at rents in back bay for new leases?

Fair point, as this was 3-4 years ago. I'm also sure I was a little below market in terms of rent since it was the only rental in the building, was an individual owner, and we got along fabulously with the other owners in the building. We were also very easy tenants. This listing for $6400 is a great comp since it's only slightly larger but nearly identical (to the point where I did a triple take) to the place I was talking about: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/116-Commonwealth-Ave-PENTHOUSE-Boston-MA-02116/2060159671_zpid/


We have no choice but to increase supply by building another Back Bay.

I fully agree with this.
 
I looked on Compass (a real estate app)

You're the first person I've ever met online that uses Compass to search for listings. How do you like the app? Before I was laid off this fall, I was part of the company that built it, and it was a constant upstream swim to try to make it more useful for people.
 
We have no choice but to increase supply by building another Back Bay.

I would love another 50,000 person/sq mi mixed use walkable neighborhood near the center of it all. Deck over 100% of the pike up to the lights of Fenway and call it back (back back and gone!) bay?
 
You're the first person I've ever met online that uses Compass to search for listings. How do you like the app? Before I was laid off this fall, I was part of the company that built it, and it was a constant upstream swim to try to make it more useful for people.

UI/UX for compass is clearly the best IMO, mostly due to native Google Maps (licensing fees must be awful…) The rent registry isn’t full of spam like the others somehow, too. I’m sure there are some listings they don’t get but for the city proper I really like it.
 
I really don’t want this to come across as snarky, but when is the last time you looked at rents in back bay for new leases? The rents in Boston are absolutely insane right now. >$5k also gives me an emotional response but it is absolutely less than what you’d pay for a 2 bed on the grid in back bay.

I looked on Compass (a real estate app) and although there were no 2 beds with parking and outdoor space on Comm, the closest I could find were a 1200sf place on Marlborough and Mass for $6300 and a 1400sf place on Beacon and Dartmouth for $8k. 25% more to live in back bay might make sense, but that’s a substantial increase. I’d really encourage everyone to go look at comps right now because they’re brutal.

But the two bedroom here isn’t an apartment so much as it is a glorified dorm suite. The literature even states that the units come completely furnished with among other things a ‘full xl’ bed.
 
The literature also makes it clear you get a private kitchen, private bathroom, and that the only shared spaces are the amenities (like any other building). Wouldn’t full furnishing including TV and internet mean the base “rent” would actually be somewhat lower? I don’t see square footage, but other than being apparently small it looks like it’s just the branding that makes it come across as anything but a normal apartment
 
The literature also makes it clear you get a private kitchen, private bathroom, and that the only shared spaces are the amenities (like any other building). Wouldn’t full furnishing including TV and internet mean the base “rent” would actually be somewhat lower? I don’t see square footage, but other than being apparently small it looks like it’s just the branding that makes it come across as anything but a normal apartment

That’s what a suite generally is - a few bedrooms with a kitchen and bath. I assume you mentioned it because maybe you work with them but the Compass app only lists a fraction of what’s available. For example Compass shows 9 two bedrooms between $4500 and $6k in 02116 while Realtor/Zillow/Redfin.com show 48/26/35. The point is that regardless of what your cherry-picked comps say it’s a lot of money for what it is. For not a ton more one could rent in 77 Exeter or the Colonnade and have an adult-scaled living space.
 
That’s what a suite generally is - a few bedrooms with a kitchen and bath. I assume you mentioned it because maybe you work with them but the Compass app only lists a fraction of what’s available. For example Compass shows 9 two bedrooms between $4500 and $6k in 02116 while Realtor/Zillow/Redfin.com show 48/26/35. The point is that regardless of what your cherry-picked comps say it’s a lot of money for what it is. For not a ton more one could rent in 77 Exeter or the Colonnade and have an adult-scaled living space.

Definitely no association with Compass, I simply think it does a better job at listing properties for sale. I haven’t looked at rental listings in years since I bought my place but I recall Zillow being full of obviously fake listings. In any case, not trying to create a data driven argument or to say this place is a good deal, only that prime Back Bay listings are SUPER expensive and that some people might be shocked that 2 bedrooms are going for $7k plus.

Markets are efficient and if “tHe BoN” ends up empty I bet prices come down to what people are willing to pay. Choice is good! Build 50 more silly little micro buildings
 

Back
Top