The Ivy at Dana Hill an under-construction conversion of an historic Victorian-era bulding into 29 modern condominium homes. The property is located at 18 Centre Street, between Harvard and Central squares.

All are sun-splashed one bedroom and studio condominiums featuring kitchens with stainless steel appliances, granite counters & maple cabinets, designer Italian ceramic tiled-baths with deep tubs. Other features include bay windows, white oak floors throughout and nine foot ceilings. The professionally-managed building offers on-site laundry, 20 deeded-parking spaces, and is pre-wired for Internet, cable and phone.

It is close in proximity to buses and “T” stations and, of course, close to a world-class variety of shops, theaters, nightclubs and restaurants, all within walking distance.

Prices are in the $224,900-$354,900 range. Occupancy is scheduled for May, 2007.

Five years from now, the Fan Pier - Seaport District neighborhood will be practically unrecognizable, based on what’s being planned for the area.

According to The Boston Herald:

Long-time city developer Joe Fallon yesterday offered a sneak peak of the design of the long-anticipated Fan Pier project, the largest waterfront project in Boston’s history.

Fallon, in a presentation to a City Hall design panel, laid out his vision for a new Hub neighborhood of nine city blocks and three million square feet of residences, offices, shops and restaurants.

While the project would be dominated by high-rise condos, offices and hotels - up to 21 stories - the buildings will be lined with restaurants and stores at street level. Two major parks, a marina and a harborwalk would also make the development accessible to the public.

A flagship condo and hotel tower will be the first to go up. The high-rise will take shape next to the Institute of Contemporary Art’s soon-to-open glass harborfront showcase and Anthony’s Pier 4.

Intercontinental Real Estate Corp, new owners of a plot of land on D Street, in the Seaport District, received approval from the Boston Redevelopment Authority to build 585 condos within four buildings, ranging in height from six to 17 stories.

The project is scheduled to be completed approximately two years from now.

The Seaport District is to undergo a tremendous amount of change over the coming years, with the build-out of Fan Pier, Pier 4, bringing new hotels, office towers, and residences to the area.

More: Apartment project is reborn as condos in a new S. Boston - By Thomas C. Palmer Jr., The Boston Globe

The developer of Folio Boston, a new luxury condominium project in Boston’s Financial District will be holding an auction for the 34 remaining, unsold condominiums.

Folio Boston is a 14-story, newly constructed building facing the Rose Kennedy Parkway, at 80 Broad Street.

Out of the 96 units, 63 have been sold. The remainder are a mix of one-bedroom, two-bedroom and penthouse units.

A minimum bid will be required for each unit. A one-bedroom currently offered for sale at $480,000 will be sold at or above its $325,000 minimum price. The most expensive unit to be auctioned, a $1.76 million, two-bedroom with a wraparound terrace on the 14th floor with a waterfront view, has a $1.025 million minimum price.

The interiors of these units are of high quality. The largest penthouse is jawdroppingly beautiful, with sweeping views of the parkway and harbor.

It seems to be just a matter of timing, with the developer looking to move on from the project, and seeing the auction as a way to generate business. At this time, it doesn’t look as though any other Boston projects would be considering such a move. Unless of course, it’s an overwhelming success.

Source: Going once … By Kimberly Blanton, The Boston Globe

Several new projects on the drawing board for downtown Boston are still on track, according to an article by Scott Van Voorhis, of the Boston Herald, despite the rising costs of construction, and a slower downtown Boston real estate market.

Robert Beal said yesterday he hopes to break ground this fall on the Clarendon, a new condo, apartment and retail complex near the Hancock tower.

Robert Epstein, the developer behind a new condo tower on Province Street near Downtown Crossing, may begin work on his project sometime after next spring.

Meanwhile, Arthur Winn’s massive Columbus Center project is still expected to move forward, regardless of the amount of state funding the developer asks for, or ultimately receives.

Several East Boston projects have been announced and approved, but have yet to break ground.

A New Jersey developer will break ground this fall on a $150-million mixed-use project that will bring 550 residential units along with retail and office space to a 28 acre site along the East Boston waterfront.

Developed by Roseland Property Co., the project, known as Portside at Pier One, is one of the first planned for the area and could transform the neighborhood into the city’s newest development hotspot.

There will be 177 apartments and 373 condos built, as part of the project.

Source: GlobeSt.com

It looks as though the developer has started construction of The Bryant, on Columbus Ave, in the South End.

The Bryant is a mixed-use, luxury, boutique condominium development that is designed with 50 residential units, including 9 au pair suites, 43 storage spaces and 2 ground floor retail spaces. The unit program and mix of units is 2 bedroom and 2 bedroom + study / 3 bedroom units with larger than average square footage and a variety of amenities.

The Bryant is located on 301-319 Columbus Avenue at the threshold of Back Bay and the South End of Boston, Massachusetts and offers easy access to public transportation, the Mass Pike, Route 93, Logan Airport, South Station, Boston’s Financial District, restaurants and other urban conveniences.

Renderings, floor plans, and contact information can be found on the developer’s website. Otis & Ahearn is handling sales and marketing.

(Whoa, wait - did they say “au pair suites”? That’s a first, for Boston, I’m pretty sure.)

I recently visited 44 Prince Street, a brand-new condo development, in the North End.

There are 55 units in the six-story building; 12 remain for sale, ranging in size from a one-bedroom, first floor unit, to several luxury penthouses. There is also a 2,500 square foot free-standing, 10 room, 3 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath home for sale, for $2,650,000.

I liked the project, a lot. Amenities include granite countertops and stainless steel appliances in the kitchens, marble master baths, hardwood floors, central air conditioning, and washer & dryer in each unit.

A one-bedroom unit on the first floor, approximately 614 square feet, is large enough for a single person or very loving couple, with a great private patio. Priced at $493,100.

There are several two-bedroom homes available.

Unit 408 is approximately 1130 square feet, with two baths, and gas fireplace, and great views of the back patio and historic nearby buildings.

The exterior areas are nicely landscaped, and include a nice backyard patio, for use by all owners. You really feel far away from the bustle of Hanover Street and Salem Street - an oasis, if you will.

The lobby is nicely appointed. There is a concierge, during the daytime hours. There is a owners-only library, and additional storage bins. There is onsite, garage parking, available for purchase.

If you are interested in buying a home in a small condo project, this should be on your list of options.

More information: 44 Prince Street (developer’s website)

One of the best-looking developments to be announced recently is The Modern, a newly-built project, currently under construction on Northampton Street, in the South End.

There are ony five or six homes, per floor, in this 26-unit building, meaning you should have lots of privacy.

In addition, some units have private terraces. Unique to this project, there will be a “zen” roof deck with kitchen & artist workspace.

Dennis Duffy is designing the common areas, kitchens, and baths.

There are lofts, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units available. There is on-site parking for sale.

Occupancy is scheduled for Summer, 2007.

More information: The Modern (developer’s website)

From The Boston Herald and The Boston Globe:

The Boston Redevelopment Authority yesterday largely cleared the way for the development of more than 11 acres of parks and buildings up to 180 feet tall in the reemerging Fort Point Channel area …

… Four large landowners — Gillette Co., US Postal Service, Archon Group, and Beacon Capital Partners LLC — are covered by the rules approved yesterday, which applies to the area along the east side of the Fort Point Channel south of Summer Street. It is known as “the hundred acres” but is actually about 89 acres in size.

… The BRA’s vote sets the stage for what could be $2 billion worth of development that could create a new neighborhood of offices, parks, condos, apartments and shops within the shadow of Boston’s Financial District, said Kairos Shen, director of planning for the city authority.

Developers are proposing as many as 2,300 units of housing, for the area, to be built over the coming years.

Sources: BRA takes the Point with plan: 100 acres across from South Station eyed - By Scott Van Voorhis, The Boston Herald and BRA approves master plan for Fort Point Channel area - By Thomas C. Palmer, Jr., The Boston Globe