Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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PhotograPhy courtesy of MillenniuM towers top: A living room at Millennium Tower. Millennium Partners also developed the Residences at The Ritz-Carlton Towers and brings a similar level of luxury to this project. below: A well-appointed bathroom in the same building. Celebrity chef Michael Mina will be heading the club- house's restaurant, reserved exclusively for residents of the tower's multimillion-dollar condos. (Mina will also bring to the tower his restaurant Pabu, which will be open to every- one.) Condo residents will also get a chance to learn directly from Mina, a James Beard Award – winning chef, who will offer cooking classes. And if they want a little help before they try his recipes in their own kitchen, the chef and his staff will get the work started in the restaurant. "You can order the ingredients or have the dish partially prepared so you only dirty two pots," says Baumert. "These [empty nest- ers] love the idea of having exposure to great food in their home. This is a total wow for them." A series of social events aimed at connecting residents and helping them make new friends is also in the works. At its various luxury properties, Millennium offers chats, wine and food tastings, and other gatherings in a series called La Vie (The Life). The events will also include monthly talks by residents about interesting experiences they've had or subjects in which they're experts—in the style of the popular TED Talks. "This is total freedom," Baumert says. "It's fun to live in a building that's more than just a home. It gets you into the city and all its energy." 1 Franklin St., 617-542-1555; millennium towerboston.com a high-tech oasis W hile some empt y nesters a re f lock ing to Boston's new luxury towers, others, like Iris and Ken Sokol, are seeking continued on page 116 Join the Club For empty nesters, a new lifestyle. It's more than just great views drawing people to Boston's luxurious new condo towers. Developers are also providing all the trappings of a richer urban lifestyle for empty nesters leaving the suburbs. Heritage on the Garden (300 Boylston St.) has become a magnet for empty nesters, offering a strong sense of community among residents of the 87-unit building, says Ron Druker, who developed it in the late 1980s. He notes that the building's extensive library and afternoon teas are big draws. The library can be used for meetings and events as well. Social space is also a major feature of the 60-story Millennium Tower. Key to the building's sales plan is the 23,000-square-foot, two-level clubhouse. The clubhouse will feature two levels combining a social gathering place, a fne-dining venue, and a workout/recreation/ play area for residents of the tower's multimillion-dollar condos. The lower level will have places to relax and work out, with a junior Olympic- size pool, a spa, and a billiards room, among other attractions. There will also be a library with a freplace, a parlor, and a screening room, not to mention a lounge and a private dining room. 114 bostoncommon-magazine.com haute property