Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/555971
photography by peter Vanderwarker A New Lease on Life With the kids gone, empty nesters are heading into Boston for a luxe life in the fast lane. by scott van voorhis The W Boston is one of several new luxury condo buildings offering a fast- paced life in the city to empty nesters who want to enjoy their new freedom. continued on page 112 T he new fa ce of dow nt ow n Bost on's sizzling luxury condo market isn't neces- sa r ily a Beijing businessma n or a Saudi prince. It could be empty nesters like Iris and Ken Sokol. With their twin sons, now 23, out of college, the Sokols are moving i nt o a $1.4 m i l l ion condo a t t he h ig h - desig n Piedmont Pa rk Squa re building i n Bay Vi l la ge a f t er yea r s i n relat ively rural Sherborn. "I think women hit a wall in their mid- 50s when their kids are gone," says Iris. "You just look at your life and you say, Okay, we have to shake it up." She adds, "Being in the city, to be with young peo- ple, keeps you young." E mpt y nesters a re ca sh i ng i n on a n epic r i s e i n home pr ic e s i n s ome of Boston's most expensive suburbs, t hen launching new lives at t he ma ny posh new resident ia l a dd res ses t ha t a re remaking Boston. Roughly 17 percent of all the units at the W Boston have been sold to empt y nesters, while at the new Millennium Tower, that number is closer to a qua r ter—which is not at y pica l for downtown Boston luxury condo towers, according to brokers. Here is a look at three top condo build- ings in Boston, one established and two under const r uct ion, t hat a re at t ract ing empty nesters.... bostoncommon-magazine.com 111 Haute ProPerty