Wood Partners begins 94-unit 2 Washington apartment building: design by Bargmann Hendrie + Archetype

Wood Partners, LLC has acquired 2.4 acres of infill property on which it plans to build a 94-unit apartment community named 2 Washington. The developer plans to break ground next month and the $20 million project is expected to be completed by September 2015. This is the second community the firm has developed in Melrose and the eighth in the Boston area since opening in 2008. Bargmann Hendrie + Archetype is the architect, and Wood Partners is the general contractor for 2 Washington. Patricia Gips Associates was the broker. "We are excited to be expanding our presence in Melrose and about being a part of the realization of the city's Smart Growth effort," said Adelaide Grady, director of of Wood Ptrs. "What was once an under-utilized industrial area is now, through the city's visionary zoning overlay, becoming a vibrant, walkable neighborhood." The community, located at 2 Washington St., will include a 130,000 s/f, five-story building with 49 one-bedroom and 45 two-bedroom apartments. All apartments will have stainless steel appliances, vinyl plank flooring in kitchens and baths, granite countertops, and washers and dryers. Residents will have access to a clubroom with a fireplace and cyber-café, a fitness center with cardio equipment, a roof deck and an outdoor lounge area with grilling stations. 38 of the 133 total parking spaces will be covered. "This new apartment community represents a rare opportunity for residents to live in a quaint, leafy suburb while enjoying easy subway access to downtown," said Grady. 2 Washington is located two blocks from the Middlesex Fells Reservation, a 2,575 acre state park with hiking trails and walking paths. In addition, this community is one block from the MBTA's Oak Grove stop on the orange line with access to downtown Boston. Melrose, which has a population of 30,000, is seven miles from Boston and close to Rte. 93, Rte.128 and Rte. 1. Ringed by a "green belt" that buffers it from surrounding communities and offers many outdoor recreation opportunities, Melrose is also home to two golf courses, Pine Banks Park and Morelli Field, a baseball facility. Since 2009, 31 new small businesses have opened in the city. According to the National Association of Home Builders' formula to determine the local impact of multifamily housing in typical metro areas, adding 94 rental apartments will generate $2.2 million in local income, $371,000 in taxes and other revenue for local governments, and 30 local jobs.