The Aberdeen: Luxury Living on the B Line in Brighton

Rendering courtesy of Tise

Brighton, home to triple-deckers, frat houses, and questionable bars. It’s also Boston’s final frontier for upscale residential development. Exhibit A: the Aberdeen at 1650 Commonwealth Avenue, which plans to launch its presale this month. Slated to open in late 2016, the six-story building may not claim a piece of the sky like downtown’s new giants, but it does offer city views, perched as it is atop the avenue’s incline and blessed with plenty of terraces and decks. “This is the next new home-ownership opportunity in an area that’s clamoring for them,” says Charlesgate Realty Group’s P. T. Vineburgh, the property’s sales agent. “This used to be a rental area, surrounded by three-story brownstones—and it’s rapidly evolving.” Indeed, the Aberdeen site was once a Gulf station.

Layouts range in size from 700 to 1,400 square feet. One-bedrooms start at $550,000; two-bedrooms start at $675,000; and penthouses with private roof terraces start at $995,000.

Architect Stephen Tise, of Newton’s Tise Design Associates, cruised the area for design cues; he found them at the art deco–style Parklake Apartments overlooking the Chestnut Hill Reservoir. “We were inspired by them—especially the industrial-style, oversize corner windows and polychromatic brick detailing,” says Tise, who hopes to echo “iconic New York art deco residential buildings from the 1930s.”

With modern touches, that is: Along with cafés and retail, residents will share a roof terrace, fitness center, and covered parking. The Aberdeen won’t be all alone, either. Another luxury condo complex, the Lancaster, opened in October down the block. Perhaps most crucial, the building itself is within strolling distance of Washington Square, Whole Foods, and, yes, quite a few bars.

1650 Commonwealth Ave., Brighton, 857-383-3111.

By the Numbers: The Brighton Boom

Median Condo Price in 2004:
$255,000

Median Condo Price in 2014:
$322,500

10-Year Price Increase:
+26.5%

Total Condo Sales in 2004:
578

Total Condo Sales in 2014:
277

10-year Drop in Sales:
-52.1%