COGnitions

5 August
2015
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8 Streets Neighborhood – the heart of the South End | By Jeff Hamilton

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:

Neighborhood: Eight Streets, 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. Ringold 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 charm
that feels far removed from more bustling spots in Back Bay and Beacon Hill.

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.

The 39 homes sold within 8 Streets in the past 6 months sold fast, spending an average of only 18 days on the market before an offer, with 5 going under
agreement in less than a week! Buyers can expect to pay, on average, $937.50 per square foot, a number significantly higher than most other South End
neighborhoods. As of 8/5/15, there are only 5 residential properties for sale (according to the MLS) in the neighborhood. Here is the current (and,
sadly, short) list of opportunities to purchase property within 8 Streets:

  • 19 Dwight Street, Unit 1 – 2 bed/2 bath Condo, 804 square feet, $799,000
  • 61 Dwight Street, Unit 2 – 1 bed/1 bath Condo,530 square feet, $529,000
  • 49 Union Park, Unit 3 – 2 bed/2 bath Condo, 1,500 square feet, $1,795,000
  • 56 Dwight Street, Unit 1 – 3 bed/3.5 bath Condo, 2,668 square feet, $2,950,000
  • 24 Union Park – 6 bed/5 bath Single Family, 6,000 square feet, $5,995,000

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 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
  • Kitchen – on Tremont St. A snug bistro serving the best of classic American recipes
  • Addis Red Sea – A friendly spot for utensil-free Ethiopian dining. Tremont St.

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.