Luxury and sustainability collide at the Residences at Winthrop Center
Luxury and sustainability are two terms that often find themselves at odds with one another, but the developers behind Winthrop Center are willing to bet that green is the new black. The mixed-use tower, where apartments are now up for sale and expected to be ready for move-in by 2023, seamlessly blends environmentally friendly features with lavish living.
The project, which includes 317 high-end, eco-friendly apartments and 812,00-square-feet of Class A office space, is rife with amenities for residents and the public alike, including a personal pet concierge, a state-of-the-art fitness center open to both residents and office workers, and a public thoroughfare that will play host to year-round civic and cultural events.
The office space is also expected to be the largest in the world to achieve “Passive House” status, a certification that requires buildings to meet rigorous energy efficiency standards.
MP Boston, the local chapter of development firm Millennium Partners, partnered with MIT professors led by John Fernandez, the director of MIT’s Environmental Solutions Initiative, to create a design that would “address health and wellness, boost occupant happiness and productivity, and better the environment,” according to a Millennium press release.
Millennium and Handel Architects won the bid for the property, formerly a city-owned parking garage, in 2016. The $1.3 billion project broke ground in 2018, and despite early financing hiccups caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, is now taking new tenants.
The residential units, which are located on the top floors of the building, went on sale earlier this month, with prices for the one-to-four-bedroom units ranging from $1.5 million to $15 million, according to Richard Baumert, principal at MP Boston.
Inside, the apartments feature sustainably sourced wood floors, top-notch kitchens (Carrera marble counters, Wolf appliances, an induction cooktop, and a convection steam oven), a customizable tub in the marble bathroom, an electric fireplace, and slanted, floor-to-ceiling windows that offer stunning views — possibly some of the best in the city, thanks to the tower’s height. At 691 feet, the building is so tall it instigated a contentious debate around how much shadow it would cast on Boston Common and the Public Garden, eventually leading the city to request a change to the decades-old statues that govern shadows cast over the historic parks.
The amenities don’t end in the units, however. The building offers residents abundant places to work, play, relax or dine, each created to optimize physical and mental health and wellness. The 4,497-square-foot fitness center includes a sport simulator, a body analytics room, an adjustable climbing wall, and a recovery room where guests can enjoy a massage or receive physical therapy. Residents looking to unplug entirely can visit the “earth room,” equipped with a radiation-blocking grid built into the wall that renders cellphones useless while in the space.
For the real fitness fanatics, there’s another 3,840-square-foot residents-only fitness center with a Junior Olympic-sized pool, functional training space, and two studios perfect for group fitness activities.
Healthy living is about more than just working out, however, which is why there’s also a residents-only culinary experience created by Michelin-star chef John Fraser, known for his high-end, plant-based offerings.
The pampering extends past humans, too. The pet concierge, Club VIP (Very Important Pet), includes space for pooches to play and socialize, as well as “dog-friendly happy hours,” pet physical therapy, and education around pet nutrition. There’s even pet-retreats at a farm in New Hampshire run by pet care expert Karen Ray, where pups can enjoy their own vacation while owners are away.
Of course, the building comes with the regular luxury features as well: valet parking, concierge, and a private, full-service lounge. The units are expected to be ready for move-in by June 2023.
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