Why Buy a Commercial Condo For Sale in the "Leather District" in Boston, Massachusetts 02111 ?
I first began to know, understand and appreciate the "Leather District" in Downtown Boston back in the early 90's when I switched commercial real estate firms and went to work in my new firm's office at Lincoln Plaza (later converted to residential condos and ground floor retail). This was about the same time that construction of Boston's widely acclaimed and now somewhat notorious Central Artery Tunnel Project, a.k.a. "The Big Dig", was getting underway in earnest.
Located adjacent to the South Station public transportation complex (Subway "T", Bus, Commuter Rail) and bordered by the Financial District and Chinatown, I immediately fell for the neighborhood and it's historic 1800's architecture dominated by brick and beam buildings, originally built for manufacturing, warehousing and wholesaling leather goods (the genesis of the name "Leather District"). Bolstered by cast-iron columns, HUGE ground-floor windows for the display of wholesaler's goods, remain a unique signature feature of Leather District buildings today.
In addition, the Leather District location had cheap and readily available on-street parking, comparatively inexpensive parking garages, quick access to the Expressways (I-93 N-S, I-90 "Mass Pike" E-W) and great places to eat for breakfast, lunch and more. "Location, Location, Location", what wasn't to love?
But back then, the neighborhood was still primarily a daytime work destination, quiet, somewhat deserted and a little on the "gritty" side after dark.
Almost twenty years later, after a couple waves of residential conversion and other re-development, the Leather District is a vibrant mixed use neighborhood. It is now filled with renovated office space (including a number of Boston's relatively scarce commercial condominiums), residential condos ranging from ultra-modern finishes to traditional Lofts with high ceilings and exposed brick & beam, together with retail services and restaurants, ranging from subs and bistros, to fine dining.
The Leather District just keeps getting better and better and today there are spectacular opportunities for savvy businesses to take advantage of historic low interest rates and own a piece of the Leather District for themselves.
