Audubon Park in the Audubon Circle area of Boston (near the border of Brookline) has recently switched gears from for-sale condos to apartment rentals. Condo sales have been slow at the completed development where 12 of the 53 condos have sold, with an average price of $563,000 ($592 per square foot), a median price of $617,500, and average days on market of 119.

Located in West Fenway and Boston University’s South Campus area at 16 Miner Street, Audubon Park is a pet-friendly luxury development.  The only other comparable pet-friendly rental building in the area is 1330 Boylston, but with its smaller size and quieter setting, Audubon Park offers a more private escape than 1330 Boylston.  All 53 units at Audubon Park have been built out with contemporary finishes from bamboo floors to granite counter tops – finishes that you don’t consistently see in rental properties.  Also, unlike most apartment communities in Boston, management has decided to allow undergraduate students rent in the building – everyone who moves in must interview with the developer.

Rental prices at Audubon Park start at $2,200 for studios, $2,600 for one-bedroom condos, and $3,200 for two-bedroom units – underground parking is offered for an additional fee. The community currently employs a concierge on weekdays and Saturday evenings, and is considering expansion of concierge hours given the number of residents now in the building. For the time being, renters can get up to one month free if they move in before September 1, 2009.  Management has also considered offering rent-to-own options for those considering a purchase in the next year – it’s likely that these units will be back on the market for sale as soon as the economy picks up.

- Jay Alberino is the Founder & CEO of Eleven Park Realty, and has recently launched myCityApartment, a guide to houses and apartments for rent in Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge. Jay can be contacted to stay up to date with prices and offers, or to take a tour of Audubon Park or other apartments in Boston.