A private space within a strong community
When young families from Harvard and MIT started migrating to the suburbs in the 1950s, a group of them ended up buying land in Concord and creating their own housing development. They would have common land for tennis courts and a canoe landing along the Sudbury River, but unlike the carbon-copy developments of the era, each home in Kalmia Woods would be private, nestled into the woods. The development still includes 40 acres of protected land. But the house at 197 Holdenwood Road bears little resemblance to the 1952 model. The current owners added on in 2001, including a living room with walls of windows, a stone fireplace, and a wet bar. The extensive renovation also included new roof, windows, plumbing, electrical system, cedar siding, and insulation.
The open living room stretches into the open dining room, with a small balcony overlooking the front and the kitchen, strung with red birch cabinets and granite countertops. Three bedrooms, including a master suite, also sit on this, the upper level, of the house. Below on the entry level is a family room and guest room with a full bathroom that has a heated floor. On a recent afternoon, wild turkeys were strutting outside the sliding doors of the family room.
The residents of Kalmia Woods, who pay $100 a year in annual dues, still maintain a sense of community, with Christmas caroling, a July 4th parade, community gardens, and hiking trails. "You think you're back in the woods, but there's this wonderful supportive community that's all around," said Sandy Freund, who lives in the house with her husband, Rob, and their three children and are moving to another location in Kalmia Woods more convenient for elderly parents. Listing agent Lisa Johnson of RE/MAX Destiny will hold an open house today from 3 to 4 p.m.
KATHLEEN BURGE 