Agent for Change:Bowen Continues Chelsea Real Estate Renaissance with Lofts in Mill Hill

By Cary Shuman

Jeff Bowen

Jeff Bowen

Jeff Bowen has been front and center in improving the appearance of Chelsea properties.

A leading real estate broker associate at ERA Russell, Bowen is again bringing his marketing and realty savvy to a sparkling new Chelsea residence, the Thomas Martin Lofts located at 204 Spencer Avenue. One of his previous successes was The Beacon Condominiums at 81 Broadway. Bowen is also an investor in the Martin Lofts.

Longtime Chelsea residents will remember the former Horace Memorial Baptist Church at the corner of Spencer and Webster Avenues. Thanks to the efforts of real estate developer Roback Real Estate, the former church has been thoughtfully repurposed in to 10 loft condominiums.  Bowen said they chose the name “Thomas Martin Lofts” because it was Martin who built the church in 1885.

The four floors of the building consist of one one-bed loft with exposed brick, one studio, four two-bed, two-bath lofts, and three bi-level, two-bed, two bath lofts with a family room.

Bowen will show the new lofts for the first time at an open house this Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 3 p.m.  There will be free pizza from Ciao Pizza for all visitors.

The Mill Hill neighborhood is now home to an area that many are calling the New Chelsea Loft District, with the Thomas Martin Lofts joining the Davinci Lofts (960 Broadway,) the Industry Lofts (950 Broadway) Spencer Lofts, the Keen Lofts (former Mary C. Burke School), and One Webster as sought-after residential spaces.

“This is another reclaimed building for Chelsea that only 15 years ago a lot of the neighborhood was boarded up,” said Bowen. “Many original features remain from the church building including hardwood flooring, stained glass windows, and components of the pipe organ.”

The price of the new Martin Lofts ranges from $325,000 to $525,000.

With the Silver Line coming to Chelsea, Bowen feels the loft condominiums would be ideal residences for “young professionals who may have been priced out of Cambridge, Somerville, and some Boston neighborhoods such as Charlestown, South Boston, and East Boston and who want more bang for their buck.”

Bowen has become a big fan of Chelsea that won an All America City Award under the leadership of former City Manager Jay Ash – a resurgence that is continuing under City Manager Thomas Ambrosino.

“The reason I like Chelsea so much is that it is small yet it has an urban feel and I love the restaurants, especially Ciao Pizza, Dockside, New Bridge Café, Fusion Bistro, S and L Subs, Chelsea Station, Floramo’s, New Brown Jug, and Chili’s.”

Bowen invites all Chelsea residents to the open house or to visit the website: www.thomasmartinlofts.com.

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