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Residents move into Somerville’s tallest housing development
High-rise will have 450 apartments in total, with 90 deemed affordable.
It’s the kind of residential building you’d expect in the Seaport or Back Bay, not Somerville.
Until now.
The 25-story tower that is part of Prospect Union Square — a far cry from Somerville’s traditional three-decker apartment model — will welcome its first residents this month.
“This is the tallest residential building in Somerville,” said Greg Karczewski, president of US2, the development team behind the master project dubbed USQ. Perhaps that’s not much of a boast given vertical housing here usually tops out at three stories! However, Karczewski told Boston.com that Prospect Union Square has more than height to distinguish it.
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“A high-rise tower is a unique offering within the Union Square and Somerville community,” he said, “but it is also fully amenitized with a 24/7 concierge and landscaped rooftop pool. The amenities are excellent.”
Prospect Union Square — a 4-acre section of the 20-acre, $2 billion mixed-use USQ development — comprises the 25-story tower and also a six-story mid-rise building. Both will bring a total of 450 apartments, 90 of which are deemed affordable.
The initial leasing in the tower saw 107 of the 191 now-completed apartments quickly snapped up. Besides 24/7 concierge service, including a secure package room, there’s an indoor dog run and pet wash station. In pleasant weather, the roof deck with the outdoor pool and loungers will be the big attraction.
Inside Prospect Union Square’s homes, the uniform interior design and finishes include open-plan living areas, “which are meant to be flexible,” Karczewski said.
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Each has vinyl mock wood flooring, tiled back spaces, and roomy walk-in showers. Most alluring: Each will have an in-unit washer/dryer. The distinguishing element separating the homes is the view: The high-floor units come with a scenic backdrop overlooking the Boston skyline and local landmarks, including Prospect Hill Monument.
The homes range from studios (405 to 551 square feet; from $2,460 to $3,700 per month); one-bedrooms (515 to 751 square feet; from $3,060 to $4,500 per month); two-bedrooms (797 to 1,319 square feet; from $3,840 to $5,800 per month); to three-bedroom apartments (1,127; $4,720 per month). Monthly parking is available for an additional $300 for an unreserved space and $600 for reserved.
This whole development under the overarching USQ banner was plausible only because of the MBTA Green Line extension: The Union Square T station is right on the tower’s doorstep, whisking residents into Boston’s North Station in 10 minutes. Though commuter friendly, the building has private rooms and a business lounge to accommodate working from home.
The LEED Gold-designed building is also bike friendly, with 500 storage spaces, and is set around a “climate change-resilient” plaza planted with shade trees supported by a unique system under the pavement that allows their roots to grow. “The urban canopy is important,” Karczewski said. “Also we have paid significant attention to storm water management to reduce run-off.”
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While Karczewski likes the tower’s uniqueness within the neighborhood, he said he is equally pleased with the way the exterior design fits in with the much-evolving, but still traditional Somerville location.
“The exterior of the residential building’s design purposefully takes in the colors of the neighborhood,” Karczewski said. “We wanted our high-rise to blend in rather than stick out.”
For more information, go to prospectunionsquare.com.
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