Lifestyle

Location, Location, Location: East Boston

By Elizabeth Gehrmann

April 5, 2014

1 minute to read

Back in the 1990s, when it seemed the only good reason to set foot in East Boston was to get to the airport, a few young professional pioneers arrived and started restoring some of the neighborhood’s beautiful old homes. And then they waited. They had faith that a wave of newcomers would arrive, and that the city and developers would start to take notice. Vindication is here.

“There’s been a real proliferation in the last year and a half,’’ says Anthony Giacalone, owner of Tony’s Realty. “The economy’s more stable and interest rates are still low, so there’s a whole new population between 25 and 35 who were too young before. They’re first-time homebuyers looking at East Boston as one of the most diverse neighborhoods. It’s extremely close to the city, and still a little less expensive.’’

That last part, “less expensive,’’ may not last long, with the amount of money being poured into Eastie in the form of parks, a $17 million library, capital improvements to streets and shopping areas, and five waterfront projects in the works that include restaurants, a health club, marina, and water taxi landing. Vindication is sweet.