This Antique Mansard Colonial Will Soon Be Cool Condos

An exterior of what Weymouth’s Union Landing will look like completed / Renderings by Natalia Brasil

Let’s be honest: There’s a certain kind of cringe that comes with the phrase “condo in the suburbs.” So often, it calls to mind images of big box-style developments devoid of style, character, or privacy. However, that isn’t the case with Weymouth’s Union Landing.

This 14-unit development , 17 miles south of Boston, has morphed an 1800s Mansard Colonial into a building of luxurious condos, each with its own private, or semi-private, entrance to reduce the “communal living” atmosphere of many multi-unit developments—adjustments to avoid the shared hallways and common spaces that can be chaotic in multi-unit buildings. The layout also makes it so many of the units on the lower-story don’t have anyone living above them, to cut down on the noise associated with apartment living.

Lisa Sheehan, an agent affiliated with the Boston-based brokerage, Senné, worked on the project with Edge Real Estate Investments, including providing design input. She says she tried to retain elements of the building’s nineteenth-century roots while crafting units that would be desirable for today’s buyers. “Usually when we build condos, it’s a box and we have to work the footprints in a rectangle or square,” she says. “This was so different.”

Renderings by 3dapts.Com

The building’s exterior maintains its distinct Mansard charm, with a sloping roof and elegant dormer windows. Several units have balconies, and all have kitchens with custom cabinets, quartz islands, and Samsung SS appliances. Union Landing’s shared grounds will include green space, a grilling area, and a dog park, Sheehan says, to give residents a slice of that coveted indoor-outdoor living.

Sheehan channeled her realtor experience when helping architect Carlos Medina design the homes, tapping into trends she’s seen appeal to prior clients. With Union Landing, each unit’s uniqueness conjures a sense of customization: there are one-, two-, and three-bedroom options, ranging from 600-to-1,600 square feet; the interiors use modern color palettes of whites, blue, greens, and grays, set against finely finished hardware finishes in the kitchen and bathroom. “No two units are exactly alike,” Sheehan says. “They all have a little bit of a different vibe. Somebody that wants a straight one-bed, one-bath walkthrough can have that.”

Thanks to this variation, Union Landing, which is slated to be ready for April, is primed for a wide range of clientele. While many suburban developments tend to market to empty nesters looking to downsize, Union Landing is located near the commuter rail, making its proximity to Boston especially desirable for young professionals and families. (Via train, you can get to South Station within 30 minutes). The development is also nestled in Columbian Square, a centrally situated area that’s undergoing an $11-million reconstruction to revamp the area streetscape and transportation, which has also upped the desirability factor. 

Additionally, Union Landing also stands out for sustainability. Sheehan, a GREEN designated Realtor and the vice chair of the Sustainability Committee for the Greater Boston Association of Realtors, says the building runs on tankless water heaters and has high efficiency HVAC systems. Pella energy efficient windows, Nest thermostats, and sustainable insulation have also been incorporated to withstand the New England winters.

“Usually when I sell a building, the buyers are similar,” Sheehan says. “But this building appeals to all types of people, which is really, really unique about this project.”

For more information, visit 46unionlanding.com.

Renderings by Natalia Brasil

Renderings by 3dapts.Com

Renderings by 3dapts.Com