Nauset Construction completes transformation for 3MJ Realty - Designed by Schopf Design Associates

Boston, MA Nauset Construction completed the transformation of the historic Conrad’s department store into 27 two, three and four-bedroom apartments providing the revitalized Downtown Crossing housing market with needed larger rental units. Located on Winter St., with the main entrance abutting the Orpheum Theater on Hamilton Place, the building was converted from its most recent use of office space into 32,000 s/f of apartments for owner 3MJ Realty. 

Designed by Schopf Design Associates, the original stone facade of the 19th century Beaux Arts building has been restored with the historic architecture integrated into the modern exterior and interior design. Three light wells extending from the third floor to the roof were created to supplement the natural light provided by the large windows of the original department store, which were retained and restored. The apartments feature 11-foot loft-style ceilings, original exposed brick walls and a mix of resilient wide-plank and ceramic tile flooring. Other amenities include high gloss thermal foil kitchen cabinets, white quartz counter tops, as well as appliances and climate control technology.

 “Although there have been a number of new residential buildings constructed in the downtown and Seaport neighborhoods in recent years, there remains a dearth of three and four-bedroom units,” said Morris Naggar, principal of 3MJ Realty. 

“The Conrad addresses this shortage, and combined with the architectural splendor of the original Conrad’s building, we expect to achieve full occupancy very quickly.”

The original Conrad Department store was constructed in the mid-nineteenth century and was extensively remodeled in the early 1900’s. In 1958, Conrad’s merged with Chandler’s, a rival department store, to form Conrad and Chandler’s at the Winter St. location. By the late 1960s, the top floors of the downtown store had been converted into class B office space, which remained occupied until the building was slated for conversion to The Conrad. This project represents the third collaboration between Nauset and 3MJ Realty. 

“Nauset Construction’s vast experience in the restoration and adaptive reuse of historic buildings, as well as our expertise in dealing with dense urban locations, served us well on this project,” said Anthony Papantonis, president of Nauset Construction. “We look forward to continuing our collaborative relationship with 3MJ and Schopf Design Associates.”

3MJ Realty and the Naggar family have been developing real estate for 50 years. They are experienced owners and operators of real estate properties in the Boston and Cambridge market, managing a portfolio containing 250,000 s/f. With particular expertise in the retail and residential market and a specific focus on strong retail locations, the retail properties occupy primary positioning within neighborhood marketplaces. The Naggar family invests substantially in each of their properties to make them best-in-class in their immediate neighborhood and to position the properties for long-term success via strong tenancy. Within the Downtown Boston market, 3MJ Realty has successfully invested in over a half dozen properties in recent years. 

Schopf Design Associates has been serving Boston and regional clients since 1983. The firm continues to seek out interesting and challenging adaptive use projects like The Conrad that provide new life and modern conveniences while retaining the historic fabric of the neighborhood and provide opportunities to live and work in the center of the city.

Nauset Construction is a construction management and design-build firm run by industry veterans with a shared goal of providing an unparalleled positive client experience. Nauset excels at complex projects on challenging sites with aggressive time and budget requirements - often in sensitive, occupied and operational environments. Proactive decisions are made based on years of proven experience while orchestrating project-team cooperation and collaboration to inherent unforeseen challenges. Taking a collaborative approach throughout the project cycle, Nauset provides creative ideas and alternative methods that reduce cost and increase value to its clients, while creating lasting relationships.