By Seth Daniel
If there was any question whether or not the Millennial generation would be the target audience for One North, that question has been put to rest, and as the large Heard Street development begins leasing its second phase of construction, owners said they are certainly catering to the Millennial audience with certain “tweaks” to the new building.
Leasing for the new, 222-unit second building next to the original One North building began this month, and tours started last weekend, just as construction goes full speed ahead and target dates for occupancy are May 1 and July 1.
“We really learned our demographic in Phase 1,” said Damian Szary, a Chelsea native and principal of Gate Residential, the project’s developer in combination with TransDel Corp. “It really is the Millennial generation. So, we really tailored this second phase to what they want…We’re doing a larger pool there, for example, than we did here. We saw that our residents really loved the pool and there wasn’t enough space for everyone who wanted to to use it. It will be larger in Phase 2 and there will be an outdoor fireplace area. We’re focusing on open areas and active living.”
That includes also putting in a basketball court on the first floor, with large windows facing towards Rt. 1, a spin studio and more space for a workout.
“We literally tripled our fitness space in the new building,” he said, again stressing the active design of the amenities.
That translated also into the Club Suite, where the kitchen area in the original building wasn’t as popular as they expected. They’ve replaced that with an active bar area, more gaming stations and a movie theatre area that is more open to the Club Suite – as opposed to the theatre in the original building that is closed off from the rest of the Club.
“We love the first building,” he said. “It’s done very well, but we want to build upon it and do something even better.”
Some of the new apartment features include Italian cabinets, a kitchen sink that faces the living room area and appliances such as a dishwasher with hidden controls. There is a washer and dryer in every unit and ample storage space. A one-bedroom unit starts at 693 sq. ft., but there are options for 735 sq. ft. units that include more storage.
One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is the popular doggie-day care.
‘Fetch’ is a third-party provider in the complex that is an ancillary location of the The Dogfather in the North End.
“This is an amazing amenity and people utilize it,” he said, noting there are between 90 and 100 dogs now in the first phase. “They’ll be ready for all the new dogs we expect. People have dog walking services, but no one has an on site dog day care facility run by a third party provider. This is the Dogfather company from the North End and this is an ancillary facility for them. We have also found that we retain residents with dogs at a slightly better rate than those without.”
Szary, who grew up on Marlborough Street and attended St. Stanislaus School until he was in his teens, said another thing that hasn’t changed is the hook of affordability and proximity.
“We are about one mile from downtown Boston and half the rates compared,” he said. “Chelsea is a City in transition and I grew up here until I was 14. I love Chelsea and it’s great to play a part in it coming back.”
Offering studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, One North of Boston’s second phase features premium interior touches that include wide plank flooring, walk-in closets, in-home washer-dryers, Italian cabinets, quartz countertops, Nest thermostats, and views of the Boston skyline from select units. It is also the first residential community in the Greater Boston area to offer onsite doggie daycare services. The building will be open for occupancy in the spring of 2016.
“The lifestyle we created with One North of Boston reflects the best in urban living, and we’re thrilled to begin leasing this second phase,” said Szary. “For people who wanted a second chance to be part of One North, we’ve introduced exciting new features and amenities that we think define this signature property and its remarkable living experience.”
Leasing of phase two began Friday, January 29, 2016. Appointments can be arranged by calling 617-889-8030 or visiting the leasing center on site at One North of Boston. For more information visit: http://www.onenorthofboston.com/