With the Bryant on Columbus steaming towards completion several blocks away (see Bryant on Columbus Now a High Flyer), the Clarendon Back Bay was feeling left out. Not to worry, as construction at the Clarendon job site seems to be speeding forward, as evidenced by the exclusive construction photos below.

The Clarendon Back Bay is currently aiming for a late 2009 opening. The 33 story tower will leverage a unique construction method whereby crews will be building up at the same time crews dig the garage out below (a construction method called “top down”) – in essence, traveling twice as fast as what we have seen with other condo construction sites lately, where a significant amount of time is spent on the garage dig before the condo development can actually come out of the ground and head upwards.

We received a warm welcome yesterday from the sales staff at the Clarendon Back Bay, the latest soon-to-be ultra luxury property to hit Boston. There’s no doubt that the bar has been raised in downtown Boston real estate, amidst the high and low rises, quality craftsmanship, luxurious amenities, and great locations, the Clarendon does not disappoint.

As you may already know, the Clarendon will be a for-sale condo and rental mix. Much like other developments having such a mix, the condos will be completely separate from the rentals (separate entrances, terraces, and amenities). Luxury runs deep through the Clarendon with an all valet garage, the Related’s (developer) idea of a dual concierge system, culture lounge and conference room, private clubroom, Equinox fitness center (Related acquired Equinox in 2006), private and common terrace, gourmet market with prepared foods, a high end bistro restaurant (Ken Himmel), and tasteful and clean architecture (Robert Stern). Perhaps the baseline of luxury that has already been established in Boston you might say? Let’s see how the Clarendon separates itself.

The Clarendon Back Bay will be the only high rise residential condo development in Back Bay, period. Condos start on the 15th floor of the development, producing some great views for the 11 units per floor, and starting on floor 19 up through 33 (deemed “The Tower”), the 5 units per floor, will again, enjoy commanding views. Being steps from Copley Place (Clarendon and Stuart), and a 2-4 minute walk into the South End, situates the building in an ideal location on the edge of the “city” and that neighborhood feel several short blocks away. And frankly, the combination of amenities that they are putting together is actually quite rare – you’ll be hard pressed to consistently find Boston condo developments cover the gamut of services and amenities that the Clarendon will pony up for its condo residents (save, a pool, and a viewing room).

Units span well laid out studios with sleeping alcoves, 1, 2, and 3 bedrooms, with talk of combining some floor plans to create mega units. White oak is throughout. A nice touch in all kitchens will be a sub zero wine cooler, while a Miele washer and dryer will be included in each unit, and garbage chute on each floor (convenience is splendid). Only two units in the entire development will come with private outdoor space, a coveted unit on the 19th floor, and another on the 29th floor. If your unit does not come with a parking space in the all valet garage, one can be rented for $400+ per month, or purchased at $150K each.

For those interested, please contact us to setup an appointment to visit the sales center, where you can touch and feel amenities (including a kitchen and bathroom buildout), and get a feel for different floor plans and their positioning within the building. Interest has been strong for the Clarendon thus far (even with its delivery date scheduled for late 2009 / 2010), and it’s obvious why, it will be a stellar addition to the city, raising the bar of Boston real estate even further.

The much anticipated Clarendon Back Bay condo development appears to have started its upward rise over the past several weeks as the below exclusive pictures and video demonstrate.

The top three photos were taken on February 16th, while the bottom two were taking on March 9th – you can see the start of a structure in the former, and the actual structure beginning in the latter. For exclusive Buyer Agency representation on the advance reservation of a unit at the Clarendon, please contact us.

The city has been a buzz with new developments, with living spaces being created, and/or renovated, making the excitement palpable as we enter the winter season, anticipating the completion, and commencement, of developments in 2008. But, is a “downgrade” coming?

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Recent exclusive photos of the Clarendon Back Bay condo development construction site show significant progress in digging out the below grade components of the development. We are told pricing and floor plan information should be available in early 2008.

The public seems to be clamoring for information on the status of the Clarendon Back Bay condo development at the corner of Clarendon and Stuart Streets. As you are more than likely aware (and evidenced by the exclusive photos below), construction is moving along on the development.

It has been announced that there will be 107 condos for sale at the development. Prices, nor floor plans, have been finalized at this point. This information should all come together for the launch of the sales center, which is scheduled for January 2008.

The sales center staff is getting ramped up, finishing models and is working diligently to finalize a preconstruction sales process. As we move into the Holiday buying season, prepare yourself with looking into the benefits of a Buyer’s Agent.

More information on the Clarendon Back Bay to follow.

The Wall Street Journal reported this weekend that in cities across the US, namely Miami, instances of foreclosure and condo development bankruptcy are increasing. The problems are emerging as some buyers who signed contracts to by new condos two to three years ago, when construction was just starting, seek ways to back out as they encounter trouble getting financing in the suddenly dicey mortgage market. Falling prices are forcing appraisals down, so banks aren’t willing to lend the full amounts that people committed to in the sale contract.

Boston appears to be bucking that trend slightly, or at least serving up a different flavor of the same end result. Consider that Bostonians continue to lay down large deposits on units in condo developments that are far off on the horizon, with what on the surface, appears to be little to no concern over obtaining financing when the occupancy date approaches, and final checks have to be written (take for instance the Mandarin Oriental, which is practically 100% sold, and will not open until June 2008, as well as 45 Province, which is on track for a 2009 completion, but is experiencing strong sales, and large deposits, thus far).

Where condo developments seem to be experiencing issues in Boston is not so much on the consumer financing end, or consumer demand for that matter, but on construction costs that have increased to levels that do not allow developers to turn a profit on making the project a reality. Take for instance, Columbus Center, which was approved years ago, but has not broken ground due to rising construction costs that erode project profit potential, the Broadluxe that is currently foreclosed upon by TD Banknorth for various construction cost related issues, the original Channel Center effort that saw a whole block purchased by a developer, only to see a small portion of the area developed, or perhaps most recently, the announcement that East Pier (Portside at Pier 1) in East Boston may flounder because developers anticipate not obtaining the profit levels for which they had hoped.

However, a broad brush stroke story on the state of the entire US provides little insight into the local market here in Boston. Despite the four above-mentioned condo development projects experiencing issues, be that temporary or permanent, construction still continues and will continue. Take for example The Clarendon and Russia Wharf (to name only two), both of which have recently broke ground on new construction in the Back Bay and on the Waterfront respectively.

With the little consistency that is seen (or unseen) in even the Boston market, it leads one to question whether the failure of certain condo development projects in the city are simply a result of particular developers seeking to take advantage of the demand from three to four years ago (the time when planing and permitting took place) , and a lack of planning and foresight to build proper safeguards into their projects.

The moment you’ve all been waiting for, the initial images / photos for The Clarendon Back Bay condo development at the corner of Clarendon Street and Stuart Street in Boston’s Back Bay.

The planned 32-story, 440,000-square-foot residential tower will provide ground-level retail, below-grade parking, 200 rental apartments, and 150 condominiums. Among the many things that The Clarendon is bringing to the neighborhood will be features specifically designed to mitigate the winds caused by the John Hancock tower diagonally across the street.

Get out your hard hat, construction continues on The Clarendon, a new construction building in the Back Bay, at the southeast corner of Clarendon and Stuart.

You may have accidentally stopped by the construction site yourself, in hopes of going to what was once the Back Bay Post Office (which is now on St James). The Clarendon Back Bay will be a mixed-use development, offering on the order of 400 residential units with an ownership and rental mix, a restaurant, and a new post office serving the Back Bay and surrounding areas.

The official condo development project address is: 131 Clarendon Street, 400 Stuart Street, and 390 Stuart Street.

If you once used the Post Office in between Clarendon and Berkeley on Stuart, the building is no more. Construction has now begun on one of Boston’s newest luxury mixed-use condo developments, called The Clarendon Back Bay.

More details are forthcoming, but the new Back Bay condo development will feature upwards of 400 units and a redesigned Post Office. The Clarendon Boston will join several new luxury condo developments in the Back Bay that are slated for completion before 2010, including the ultra luxury Mandarin Oriental Boston Condo Development.

The exclusive photo below is of the Clarendon Back Bay construction site in early October 2007.