273 Commonwealth Ave – An Architectural Gem in the Rough

Hi Everyone,

Raise your hand if you love to look at real estate listings—just for fun. I bet most of you do, and some of you love open houses, too. This is why house tours are so popular. A lot of us love to look at other people’s houses.

 

Well, Boston has no shortage of gorgeous properties on the market.

 

Some are spectacular, in a non-ostentatious way, like this recently sold two-bedroom on Marlborough Street.

I want to marry this handsome hunk and have his babies. haha

Alas, beautifully restored and renovated condos are more the exception than the rule. I think it’s fair to say that 80% have either been chopped up so abominably or have had most, if not all, of their original glory stripped away. There’s a reason for this.

 

After World War I, many families moved to the nearby suburbs for more quiet living and space.

 

Thus, many homes turned into boarding houses, schools, and dormitories. Others struggled to maintain these homes, which averaged at least 8,000 square feet.

Beginning in the 1960s, young families began moving back into their homes and renovating them. My building was purchased and renovated in 1978. Shortly after, Back Bay became a highly desirable area and continued to improve.

An interesting fact is that many homes have gone back to being single-family or two-family homes.

 

Today, I want to focus on a Back Bay home that just went off the market—like Yesterday.

273 Commonwealth Ave. Apt 2

 

Oh, wait! During the final edit, I learned that the house has a pending offer! I’m so glad. Anyway, we’re just having fun. You never know; maybe they’ll like some of the ideas that will be presented.

This classic beauty is just east of Gloucester Street and on the south-facing side of the street. One thing that sets it apart from at least 95% of the other homes (that aren’t apartment buildings) is its limestone facade and 52-foot width. Our house is about 27 feet, by comparison.

From Backbayhouses.org, a 19th c. rendering.

 

Below is a shot of the property from 2015, also from Back Bay Houses.

 

Unit 2 is the parlor and lower-level duplex on the right. At 1150 square feet, it is 62 square feet smaller than my place.

Let’s step inside the opulent, almost ecclesiastical common entry that remains intact and, as you can see, quite grand.

 

Please follow along here for many more images of this spectacular house.

Alas, a beauty ravaged by a rather botched face-lift. In defense of that, it’s not easy making these once single-family homes into a much smaller apartment.

 

Let’s examine what’s going on with 273 Commonwealth Ave. Apt 2 because this place has some fantastic aspects.

 

• The unit faces Comm Ave and is south-facing in an enviable location.
• There are large windows and stunning architectural detailing.
• This unit is a duplex.

There’s something romantic about the word “duplex.” Of course, I realize some people don’t want to live on two floors.

Now, it would be super helpful if I had a floor plan of 273 Comm Ave Apt 2, but alas, I don’t.

However, since I have many photos and experience guestimating, I think I can develop a plan close enough for our purposes.

 

On an interesting side note, while reading about 273 Commonwealth on Back Bay Houses, I discovered that this home was a headquarters for the American Red Cross during WWII. What caught my eye is that, at that time, the beautiful transom windows for unit 2 were replaced with Victorian-style windows. However, the transoms were brought back at some point after that.

 

So, what are the issues with 273 Commonwealth Ave Apt 2?

 

• The kitchen was slapped up and on top of existing mouldings.

 

 

Check out that honking fridge butted up against the gorgeous pilaster but sticking out way past it. (below)

 

 

• There is a bathroom IN the kitchen. I mean, that’s where people make a poo, right? Would you want that near where you are preparing food? This was 100% avoidable, and I will show you how.
• There’s too much furniture lined up against the wall.

 

• There are no closets upstairs. Instead, there’s an ugly coat rack and no sense of entrance. I mean, no entry. It would be possible because the door is on one end. It’s when the door is in the middle of the room that it’s difficult to create a separate entrance.

 

All of that is completely fixable. I can’t wait to show you what I’ve come up with.

 

Spoiler. I’m planning to put up a freaking WALL to create a separation between bathroom and kitchen, plus create a bonafide entrance and a wide double closet, and more!

 

The next issue is the primary living area is shoved into the corner with a view of the spiral staircase and a TV hung too high.

 

For more images, please check out the real estate listing here.

 

Downstairs

 

Here are some of the problems.

 

• There’s a windowless bedroom and a dated bathroom filled with grab bars and bad colors.

• Cheap construction and a room with a door to the outside and one window off the bedroom.
• A front room with one window, spiral staircase, and door to the outside. It’s not the space itself that’s a problem, but there’s a seriously bizarre closet and one roll-top desk. I see this as a possible cool den— and that is where I’d put the TV. But I have an idea that would be a total game changer for this space.

 

As I mentioned, I want to begin a series of regular posts with the theme “Let’s fix this place.”

 

So, please stay tuned for Thursday evening, when I’ll attempt to fix lovely 273 Commonwealth Ave. Apt 2. I will likely stick to the top floor and finish on Sunday with the lower level.

Please feel free to chime in if you have some ideas.

xo,

 

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