At COG, we pride ourselves on our in-depth knowledge of Boston’s hyper-locales and sub-neighborhoods. Our blog is one place we can demonstrate this expertise over time. The South End, one of Boston’s premier neighborhoods, has many unique sub-neighborhoods, each with their own distinct characteristics, people and places. The 8 Streets Neighborhood is one of our favorites.
Nestled into the commercial core of Boston’s South End, the 8 Streets Neighborhood is known as one of the most convenient places to live in the entire city. Technically, the 8 Streets Neighborhood Association defines its area as:
The entire streets of: Dwight, Taylor, Milford, Bond, Hanson and Ringgold.
- Waltham Street, from Tremont to Washington.
- Shawmut Ave and the even side of Tremont Street; both from East Berkeley to the alley between Waltham and Union Park.
- 211 Shawmut through 304 Shawmut, all addresses
- 500 Tremont through 560 Tremont, even addresses only
- The odd side of East Berkeley St., from Tremont to Shawmut (1-65)
We choose to add Bradford Street, Union Park and Upton Street in our definition of the area for statistical purposes… and because they feel like they fit with the character of the place.
Related:
Top Street To Live On In Boston’s South End
So, “8 Streets” is no longer 8 streets. Depending on who you talk to, the neighborhood encompasses 10 to 12 streets today. Regardless of its borders, residents in the area take advantage of multiple parks. Ringgold park is a multi-use park with a basketball court, two children’s playground areas, and many benches scattered in the sun and shade. The larger Peters Park featuring tennis courts, a baseball field, basketball and the South End’s largest dog park is adjacent to 8 Streets.
The neighborhood’s proximity to downtown Boston (Financial District and Back Bay) along with its own shopping, restaurants, entertainment and parks, make its luxurious brownstone homes some of the most sought after in Boston. Many condo listings spend less than a week on the market (if they come on the market at all) before going under agreement. The homes in this neighborhood are primarily historic brownstone rowhouses, giving the area a quiet, Victorian charm.that feels far removed from more bustling avenues in nearby Back Bay.
The roughly 1,800 residents of 8 Streets are mostly professionals who work and commute downtown. Well over half (56.1%) are between the ages of 25-44 (twice the number for the rest of the city). The neighborhood lacks diversity with 82% of 8 Streets’ residents identifying as caucasian.
21 homes sold over $2M within the Eight Streets in 2019. The $58M worth of transactions in this desirable sub-neighborhood accounted for over 20% of sales volume in the $2M+ South End market. Buyers can expect to pay, on average, $1,220.78 per square foot at this level, a number that skews higher than most other South End neighborhoods. As of 4/21/20, there are only 6 residential properties for sale (according to the MLS) in the neighborhood. 2 of which are listed for over $2M. Here is the current (and, sadly, short) list of opportunities to purchase property within 8 Streets:
- 28-30 Union Park, #4 – 3 bed/4 bath Condo, 3,540 square feet, $5,500,000
- 43 Union Park, #3 – 2 bed/2 bath Condo, 1,943 square feet, $1,999,999
- 314 Shawmut Ave., #5 – 2 bed/2 bath Condo, 729 square feet, $940,000
- 19 Milford St., #4 – 1 bed/2 bath Condo, 935 square feet, $899,000
- 77 Waltham St., #2 – 1 bed/2 bath Single Family, 780 square feet, $795,000
Though predominantly filled with housing, 8 Streets is not exclusively residential. The South End has long been known for its variety and quality of restaurants. The 8 Streets area is a prime contributor to this reputation and residents are fortunate to live only minutes (or even seconds) walking from some of the South End’s best. Some notable establishments in the neighborhood include:
- Coppa – on Shawmut Ave. Specializing in pizza, pasta, and italian small plates
- South End Buttery – on Shawmut Ave. A quaint bakery/cafe with a full bar and dog-friendly patio
- B&G Oysters – on Tremont St. A cozy high end raw-bar and seafood restaurant
- Myers and Chang – on Washington St. Creative, upscale Asian inspired small plates in a hip diner environment
- Aquitaine Boston – on Tremont St. An elegant parisian-style bistro offering traditional french cuisine.
- KAVA neo-taverna – on Shawmut Ave. An intimate, sophisticated neighborhood spot for Greek small plates, wine and spirits.
- Chilacates – on Shawmut Ave. A small shop offering tacos and burritos.
- Franklin Cafe – on Shawmut Ave. A hip, cozy neighborhood gastropub dispensing craft cocktails & modern comfort food.
The 8 Streets Neighborhood holds some of Boston’s most sought after real estate and for good reason. Columbus & Over Group is your hyper-local expert on the 8 Streets Neighborhood. Let us know if we can help you find a way in or if we can introduce your home to its next lucky resident.