By Seth Daniel
One of the largest residential projects in the City is about to come online in the South End’s New York Streets area, with the UDR company opening a leasing office and preparing to open up the first units this spring.
Taking up an entire city block with the 585-unit mixed use building, UDR – which is based in Colorado – is very serious about being tied in to the community with its first South End development. In fact, they are so committed to becoming part of the South End, that their General Manager Matt Clickman moved into the Eight Streets neighborhood nearly two years ago to get a true experience of the neighborhood from a resident’s perspective.
“I live in the South End and understand the neighborhood,” said Clickman. “I moved to Milford Street two years ago to get a feel for what the neighborhood is like and what residents here will experience when they move in. I felt it was important to be a part of the neighborhood where I am going to be working.”
On Jan. 8, UDR opened their new leasing office on Washington Street – across from the growing project – and have built exact replica units in the office so potential residents who wish to pre-lease can see what units will look like.
The project includes two towers with a very interesting courtyard and massive pass-through in the center – allowing the public to be able to walk through from Washington to Harrison with ease.
Clickman said they will be rolling out the Phase 1 on May 9, with a little over 100 units coming onto the market. They will continue that schedule with five total phases, going from the Harrison side first to the Washington side second.
The unit rollout will finish in October.
The timeline is great for the rollout, Clickman said. At the moment, there are no other large projects in the general area ready for occupancy at that time, and the UDR project is looking to take apartment living in the South End to the “next level.”
One way they’re doing that is with well-thought out amenities such as a two-story, 4,000 sq. ft. fitness center open 24/7. Other amenities include a rooftop infinity pool, and a Sky Deck with city views, fireplaces and an outdoor kitchen.
“The gym is not an afterthought here,” said Clickman. “A lot of gyms are stuck in the basement and were put in afterward. This was well thought out and a centerpiece. We also have a massive amount of community space. That’s what people want now. If they have a micro-unit, they want to venture out and meet people. We have designed plenty of opportunities for that.”
Clickman also pointed out that residents can easily walk to restaurants on Tremont Street and the Back Bay – noting that the building has a walkability score of 96. For those that do want to drive, there are 259 spots available within the development.
The unit choices boast everything from 400 sq. ft. micro units to 1,600 sq. ft. penthouses. The average unit is well-designed using sliders to maximize space between rooms.
A retail space plan is still being worked on, though CVS Pharmacy has been signed to a lease recently.
Clickman said the new leasing office is open seven days a week, with hours of 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
The website is: www.live345harrison.com and the phone number is (857) 214-8265.