$200M Mixed-Use Project Opens in Fenway

BOSTON—A host of dignitaries, including Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, were on hand Wednesday for the ribbon cutting for the $200-million The Viridian development in Fenway.

The project developed by The Abbey Group at 1282 Boylston St. includes 342 apartments and 10,000 square feet of retail space. Construction on the 20-story building began in August 2013.

“The Viridian sits at the epicenter of the booming Fenway neighborhood,” says William Keravuori, vice president of Boston-based The Abbey Group. “With its premiere location and innovative design, this project represents the future of urban living and the next phase of Fenway's transformation.”

Audrey Epstein Reny, vice president and director of marketing for The Abbey Group, tells Globest.com that 30% of the units are leased after two months of marketing. The development features a mix of studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments that are designed to LEED-Gold standards. Rents for the studios begin at $2,300 a month; one-bedrooms from $2,825; two-bedrooms from $3,950 and three-bedrooms from $4,750.

“We designed The Viridian with the intent of offering today's modern living style with efficiently-designed apartments that have strong attention to detail and shared community spaces within the building such as a state of the art health club and roof deck amenities that offer incredible views of the city,” Epstein Reny said.

She adds that to date no retail tenants have been signed, but notes that The Abbey Group is seeking tenants that compliment the building and the surrounding area.

The modern lobby features furnishings from Montana to Italy, and also includes custom works from artisans such as Anna Karlin, Chris Kautz and Rich Brilliant Willing. The 15th floor Sun Deck offers lounge chairs, benches, verdant greenery and an outdoor shower. The 20th floor Sky Deck offers views of the city's skyline and includes a grilling station, decorative plantings, and a Greenhouse common area equipped with a catering kitchen.

The Viridian also houses the Fenway Community Center that will be equipped with computers for public use and modern meeting spaces for lectures, community events and educational classes. It will serve as a gathering spot for the arts, wellness, enrichment and civic involvement programming for Fenway residents, the company states.

The Abbey Group, co-owner and a managing partner of the Boston Celtics, has developed more than 100 commercial, retail, and residential buildings. In addition to The Viridian, recent Abbey Group projects include 45 PROVINCE, a high-rise, full service luxury condominium at the foot of Beacon Hill, and the rebranded Lafayette City Center in Downtown Boston.