China Pearl
Courtesy of Solomon McCown & Company
Personal trainers, a yoga studio, a fleet of loaner bikes, a quiet lounge for private contemplation, and even a landscaped park. Sounds like a wellness retreat, right? Maybe, if that wellness retreat were within easy strolling distance of delicious soup dumplings. Say hello to the Tower at One Greenway, a 21-story luxury rental opening this month at 99 Kneeland Street in Chinatown.
The 217-unit building offers everything an urban dweller might crave, but it also has historical significance. Formerly known as Parcel 24, the site once housed a residential complex that was torn down in the ’60s to make way for a Central Artery on-ramp. “We’re excited to be able to return it to residential use and reintegrate it into the community,” says Jim Kelleher, chief investment officer of the New Boston Fund, the real estate development firm helming the project.
The Green—a lush new park that connects Albany and Hudson streets—creates an inviting entry to the building. “Downtown, people live in small spaces due to the cost of rents. The opportunity to create outdoor areas to expand living space was a key part of our program,” Kelleher says.
Not that life inside is too shabby. Many units have movable kitchen islands, walk-through closets, and balconies. Higher apartments boast views of the Back Bay, the Blue Hills, and the Financial District. Penthouses on the top two floors, meanwhile, feature high ceilings and plenty of glass.
Other amenities include an 11th-floor lounge with an open kitchen and a terrace, available to all residents for summertime soirees. On the ground floor, 5,000 square feet of retail space is currently slated to house the East Boston Savings Bank, a coffee shop, and a community center. The tower also loves furry friends. A One Greenway concierge will arrange vet and pet-trainer house calls; the building also boasts an in-house dog-washing station.
Studios start at $2,450 monthly for 486 square feet; a three-bedroom, two-bathroom unit with 1,618 square feet goes for $8,230. Also set to open this month: a separate but adjacent space, 66 Hudson, with 95 affordable rental units available by lottery. Not surprisingly, demand is high.
“We’re at the intersection of three fantastic neighborhoods: Chinatown, the Leather District, and the Theater District,” Kelleher says. And if you’re tempted by the easy access to dim sum, well, at least the tower has a fitness studio.
99 Kneeland St., Boston, 866-420-6658, onegreenwayboston.com.
PLUS:
Chinatown by the Numbers
The evolution of Boston’s most intriguing neighborhood.
145
Number of years that Chinese immigrants have been settling in New England.
1875
Year that the first Chinese laundries opened on Harrison Avenue.
54
Number of years since the China Pearl restaurant turned on its neon sign.
24.9%
Approximate increase in the area’s population from 2000 to 2010.
