The stone tower and arches of the 1891 church were incorporated into the new construction of Church Court Condominium at 492 Beacon St. Two units, priced at $995,000 and $1.199 million, are available.

The Church Court Condominium complex at 492 Beacon Street in the Back Bay has an interesting history. The architectural firm of Walker and Kimball designed Mount Vernon Church in 1891, but by early 1978 it was vacant. Later that year, a fire ravaged the building and only its shell remained. In 1983, internationally known architect Graham Gund designed a seven-story brick residential development, incorporating the church's stone arches and tower into the design. Landscape architect Caron Johnson designed the courtyard, which has been the site of the sanctuary.

From the date it opened, it has been a desirable place to live. Its beautiful stone towers and arches that face Beacon Street and Massachusetts Avenue are impressive, and there is a feeling of stability, permanence and serenity.

Danielle Bing of Re/Max Waterfront Ltd. and Patti Donovan of Keliher Real Estate are marketing two of the condominiums. (Early in their careers when they were working for the same real estate firm, they formed a partnership and today continue
to list and sell properties jointly.)

Unit 24 is a 1,273 square foot, two bedroom condo, priced at $995,000; Unit 36 is a 1,145 square foot, three bedroom condo, listed at $1,199,000.

A red brick walk leads to a front door framed by an arched trellis sculpture that echoes the arches in the building. Inside, the soaring lobby is bright and includes a wall of glass that overlooks the courtyard. It is open to the sky: grass, a weeping fruit tree, evergreen shrubs and ground cover are attractive throughout the year, complemented by sculptures and benches. The red and tan brick of the Gund structure encloses the courtyard.

In the lobby is an elevator that operates from the lower level parking garage through the seven floors. Unit 24 in on the second floor and boasts solid wooden doors and elegant hardwood inlaid floors, added by a former owner who dealt in fine woods.

The large living room, located in the corner, is flooded with light from the eight large windows, offering expansive views of the Charles River, from Cambridge to Beacon Hill.

The master bedroom is to the left of the living room and has an en suite bath and large windows overlooking the Charles. The guest bedroom has an en suite bath, a laundry room and a curved wall that holds four very large windows with river views.

The kitchen is a separate room with white cabinets, white appliances and light wood trim. The kitchen has a pocket door that can be opened or closed without being in the way. There is a great deal of storage in the unit, including a huge cedar closet that would provoke envy in almost anyone.

Unit 36 on the third floor if Church Court is a the end of the building and has windows on three sides. The huge living room has views of Cambridge and the Charles River on one side and views of the west Charles on another wall, with a total of nine windows in the room. Many of the windows frame views that have the appearance of paintings. A third wall has a decorative fireplace and built-in bookcases. Again, the kitchen is in a separate room, but with a pass-through to the dining area. There are two side-by-side kitchen sinks built into the countertop that appears to be tan marble. The walls and appliances are white and the cabinets dark to compliment the floors and counters. The two bathrooms include an en suite master bath. A large mirror framed by an arch adorns one bedroom. All three bedroom have beautiful views of the serene courtyard. A sculpture of an angel watches over the yard.

The parking garage in the lowest level of the complex has one deeded space for each unit and parking outside on Beacon Street is for residents only. There is extra storage for the units in the garage area. A large roof deck is available for all owners, and, of course, they have the use of the landscaped courtyard. The lobby for the complex and the other common areas are being redecorated now, with new carpeting and fabric wall coverings. The concierge is on duty there 24 hours a day; other security includes intercoms and cameras monitoring the common area. The condos have forced hot air heat as well as air conditioning.

Details

Published: November 3 2006