Home of the Week: Hyde Park loft stays true to industrial past

Industrial-sized windows line one wall, and the floors bear the scratches and dent from workers past.

The home has retained the exposed brick, tall arched windows, and hardwood flooring of the factory. Jonathan Wiggs/Globe staff

By John Ellement

March 4, 2020

3 minutes to read

1 Westinghouse Plaza, Unit 328

$459,900

Style: Loft

Year built: 1908/converted 2010

Square feet: 1,530

Bedrooms: 1

Baths: 1 full

Fee: $308 a month

Pets: One dog or cat per unit; some breed restrictions

Fee: $2,548 (2019, includes residential exemption)

A mixed-use development, the intertwining of commercial and/or retail with residential, is an approach that works seamlessly at The Lofts at Westinghouse, a Readville complex where industrial fans were manufactured in the early 1900s.

The Lofts, also known as Building C, account for about 25 percent of the property. Once a factory complex most famously owned by Westinghouse, the area was redeveloped into its mixed-use present at the prodding of late mayor Thomas Menino (a Chesterfield Street neighbor) and former city councilor Rob Consalvo. It was initially designated as housing for artists.

A 2010 overhaul created 78 units and did so by keeping as much of the industrial history as possible, starting with the red-brick exterior and the arched industrial-sized windows. Inside there is further evidence: long, windowless hallways with motion lights, ceilings some 15 feet high, and burly exposed beams.

The flooring in the hallway and the unit featured is the original wood. It was given a protective coating, but thankfully no effort was made to remove the scratches, divots, and discoloration generations of workers created. This unit is on the third floor, and a step inside gives one evidence of the attraction of living in converted factories: Three sets of 10-foot-high arched windows line the back wall, providing views of the Blue Hills (and its ski area) above the industrial buildings and Amtrak tracks that hug the ground directly opposite the Lofts. The walls are red brick.

Just inside and to the right is the unit’s full bath. It offers a shower/tub combination, a mosaic stone floor, and a single vanity with a white porcelain counter and sink. Just before the bath is a laundry closet with a full-sized stacked washer and dryer. To the left is a space the owners are using as a bedroom.

Stepping deeper inside leads to an open space with a 15-foot-ceiling and that trio of industrial-sized windows. A tall and wide bookcase (it stays) commands a wall near the windows.

The kitchen is to the right in an alcove. A sleek counter of shiny midnight black granite lines one wall; stainless-steel appliances and melamine cabinets with a blonde finish occupy the other. The backsplash is comprised of midnight black porcelain tiles in subway design with white grout. There is a wet bar.

This is a loft unit, and appropriately for a former factory, one reaches that by climbing wide metal stairs painted a flat black. The loft — the home’s designated bedroom — is the one carpeted space in the unit. The ceiling height angles up from roughly 6 feet, but the loft, in line with the top part of the industrial windows, offers the best view. A large steel heating duct snakes its way along the right side of the loft, which also has a walk-in closet and custom drapes for privacy.

The unit comes with two deeded parking spaces (the city has assessed them at $5,500 each). The building has weight and cardio rooms, a grill area, and a gallery for parties and exhibits. Recently installed roof solar panels pay for all the lighting in the common area, and any other credit is equally divided among the owners.

Marjorie and Erin Vogt of Vogt Realty Group in Boston are the listing agents. They will host an open house on Sunday, March 8, from 1 to 3 p.m.

See more photos of the home below:

1 westinghouse drive, hyde park

Follow John R. Ellement on Twitter @JREbosglobe. Send listings to [email protected]. Please note: We do not feature unfurnished homes and will not respond to submissions we won’t pursue. Subscribe to our newsletter at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @globehomes.