The Prattville School in Chelsea has been converted into live-work space for artists by developer State Financial Services.
It’s a city that has been shaped by fire and flood, Boston money and the Industrial Revolution, dirty politics and political takeover. Now, a recent trend is just as surely helping to shape a new future for the city of Chelsea: artists’ lofts.
Part of the city’s latest reincarnation, historic buildings-turned-trendy artists’ lofts are causing a stir in the local residential real estate market. Young professionals looking for affordable alternatives to Boston’s South End or artists seeking a place to nurture their craft are taking a closer look at Chelsea. One loft project is already complete, one is under way and a third is in the planning stages.
The finished project is a 22-unit restoration of the Prattville School, a structure originally built in 1897. The project received its certificate of occupancy a year ago; only two units remain to be sold.
We wanted to maintain the architectural integrity of the building. Each classroom became a unit, and we kept the outside as similar [to the original architectural plan] as possible, said Tina Pizzuti Brzezenski, director of commercial operations at State Financial Services, the project developer.
The average unit size is 1,050 square feet, with an open living area, one full bath and a bedroom area in each. The ceilings are very high, so only partial walls divide the bedroom area from the main living area. Nearly all the units, except those on the ground floor, have hardwood floors in ash, maple or fir – some are the original floors restored to their natural color from beneath years of polyurethane and stain. Some of the lofts still feature blackboards.
People at the open houses were so excited you could find a contemporary type of living style so close to the city. People have been priced out of the city, but these are reasonably priced, Pizzuti Brzezenski said.
The units sell for an average of $175 per square foot. Only about 600 to 700 square feet of unit space could be had for the same price in Boston, she said.
Here there are many windows. Here there is parking. Here there is transportation. There are so many amenities, Pizzuti Brzezenski said.
One major amenity is location, with downtown Boston, Logan Municipal Airport and North Shore shopping a mere 10 minutes away. Another asset touted by the city is the diversity of its community.
There’s a different generation of people coming in, Pizzuti Brzezenski said. Everyone in the lofts is under 40 years old, with many single women, men and couples taking the opportunity to buy on their own.
It was very much a showcase for the city and they were very involved with the process, Pizzuti Brzezenski said of the three-and-a-half year project. The company purchased the building from the city with the agreement that the city would have input on several issues, including maintaining historical integrity. They also agreed that the city would receive a percentage of revenues beyond a certain threshold, a limit that was quickly surpassed.
The city was very reasonable to work with, Pizzuti Brzezenski said. They are very fair people, very much by-the-rules. Everything in the building completely conforms to code.
When the city decided to sell the building, the choice wavered between artists’ lofts or elderly assisted living, according to City Manager Jay Ash.
We wanted to put something in that would encourage growth in the neighborhood, Ash said. No one ever gets excited about living next to an assisted living facility.
Promoting Growth
That attitude shaped the fate of the Pearl Street lofts currently under way by owner/developer Kamren Zahzahedi. Rather than being turned into a self-storage facility, the two buildings comprising a former restaurant supply warehouse are being converted into 22 artists’ lofts, 14 of which have been pre-sold.
The spaces range from 600 to 1,000 square feet, starting at $149,000, and feature high ceilings, one outdoor parking space per unit, laundry hook up and some roof decks. Gallery space in the lobby could be used to display the work of resident artists; many of the new residents work in mediums ranging from photography to stone. The project is due to be finished in February.
With the success of two such projects, the city is looking for a third hit with the rehabilitation of the 1881 Mary C. Burke School. Requests for proposals four years ago reaped another assisted living facility idea. Again the city held out for something better.
We were looking to pump some vitality into the neighborhood, and also preserve the building. An assisted living facility would have corrupted the integrity of the building, so we decided to hold off until work on the Prattville School was finished to show how well-received such a project would be, Ash said.
The design of the Mary C. Burke School makes such a conversion a little more challenging for a few reasons, said Pizzuti Brzezenski, who submitted a loft proposal for the school. Compliance with the Americans Disability Act proved more difficult there and the existing condition of the building isn’t as good as the Prattville School. Such circumstances could potentially increase the cost of development and the selling price. Also compounding the difficulties is the industrial nature of the neighborhood, which makes parking more challenging. The city also is insisting that some of the units be designated as affordable.
The artists’ lofts-revitalization strategy is not new. Communities such as Revere, Lawrence and Lowell are following such paths in the hope of breathing new life into the cities. But other investments have been made in Chelsea since it emerged from state receivership in 1995, including the construction of two new office buildings and the $16 million luxury Wyndham Chelsea Hotel.
The city also has a streamlined city charter to make the permitting process easier, a comprehensive urban renewal plan, and has brought more than $46 million in private investment into Chelsea over the last few years through its Economic Development Incentive Program. As a result, property values have increased. The plan now is to continue to encourage growth while avoiding gentrification, said Ash.
In the late 1800s, Chelsea was a resort community for Boston aristocracy. At the turn of the century, the industrial revolution hit and there was a reduction in the cost of ferry service between Chelsea and Boston, fueling a large influx of immigrants to the city. Almost overnight, a community of 10,000 middle- and upper-middle class citizens swelled to a city of 40,000 immigrants.
For the last 100 years, we have been the home of first- and second-generation immigrants, a role we relish in Chelsea, Ash said, mentioning the city’s nickname as the melting pot of America.
In 1908, the third largest fire in U.S. history leveled 472 city acres. Chelsea was put into receivership that same year.
In 1973, Chelsea had a second major fire that destroyed 18 city blocks. The city also experienced a major flood, and the loss of about 100 homes sacrificed for the construction of the Tobin Bridge.
Manmade and natural disasters really shaped the direction of the city, Ash said. By the mid-’80s the city was in financial and political chaos resulting in receivership again in 1991.
We’re not looking to become the next Wellesley or Lincoln of the world, Ash said of Chelsea’s future. We need to continue to promote growth in the city and revitalization, while maintaining our identity and maintaining affordable housing.
