Cleveland Circle Luxury Apartment Project Update: They're Open

CLEVELAND CIRCLE, MA — If you've been wondering when that fancy new building in Cleveland Circle would open where an Applebee's and the Circle Cinema used to sit, well, it's already happened.

The luxury senior living apartments dubbed "Waterstone at the Circle," actually opened in March and held a grand opening earlier this month to make it official.

The luxury senior living community was designed for "active" adults 62 and older looking to give up their home in the burbs and rent in an area where they can walk to shops and restaurants. It's part of a larger development called The Circle that includes a 162-room AC Marriott hotel and restaurants, including a Cafe Landwer. (Those haven't opened just yet, but soon).

"At the beginning of March several residents physically moved in. Others are downsizing and putting their homes on the market," said Jake Quigley, executive director of Watertsone at the Circle. Quigley said about 50 percent of the 92 were already spoken for in some way.

Most of the folks moving in so far come from the Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Newton or Boston area, he said.

"I've been in this industry for a while, and one thing that's interesting here is that folks in Brookline don't want to leave Brookline," he said.

Having the senior living community in the neighborhood allows people like the woman who moved from near Washington Square to continue making her daily walks around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir.

"Leaving your home is one thing but a lot of folks are attached to their communities. Here they're still able to have that in tact, and still able to have friends over," he said.

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The staff at Waterstone at the Circle boast that their independent living apartments some of the most luxurious in urban New England.

Like many senior living facilities this place has a fitness but it's also got an aquatic center, it has a dining room, but it's "restaurant-style." It has its own theater, art studio, library, lobby bar with wine lockers, and underground parking.

Then there's on-site concierge, housekeeping, town-car transportation, and residents have access to a bevvy of and recreational and cultural activities programs, personal training and social events.

'Not your average grandma'

If you're wondering about the cost, you're not wrong to. When they say luxury they mean it. This is not for your average grandma.

Apartments start at around $7,000 a month for the one bedrooms and go up to more than $10,000 ( a month) for the suites with the den, according to Quigley.

But there are a few of the 92 units set aside as affordable. A dozen will be labeled income restricted senior apartments for people over the age of 62 and in the 70 percent of the Average Median Income category (for example a single person would have to make no more than $50,000 to qualify). The apartments include a combination of one and two bedrooms.

For those who qualify, a one bedroom will cost $1,267 a month. A two bedroom will cost $1,448 to rent.

But if that seems affordable to you, you're likely too late. About two months ago applications were placed in a lottery. Those picked just need to go to the fair housing board for final approval and then those folks will move in, according to Quigley.

More than 2 years in the works

In 2014, the Boston Redevelopment Authority approved the $85 million redevelopment project, which straddles the Brookline/Brighton line. And the Brookline Zoning Board of Appeals and the BRA gave their thumbs up in 2015. About a half an acre of the project sits in Brookline and some 81 of the hotel rooms would be on the Brookline side. Neighbors were originally concerned about elements of the design of the side of the building that faced them across the MBTA's Green line T tracks.

The project was developed by National Development, known for its high profile projects in Greater Boston, including Ink Block in the South End. EPOCH Senior Living joined as a partner and operator of the senior housing portion of the project. Colwen Hotels, a hotel firm, will be the operator of the AC Hotel by Marriott at the Circle. Boston Development group is a co-developer of the property.

"We spent a lot of time on this. It's an unusual project because it had to be permitted in both communities and there was an equal amount of input from Boston and Brookline. In the end too much input can have a bad result, But I think we ended up with a really good building that relates well to Brookline," Developer Ted Tye told Patch previously, calling it a game changer and general improvement to the area.

Next up? Look for the hotel to open and then Cafe Landwer to move into one of the two restaurant spots opening up.

The hotel, which was slated to open in March, looks set to open by Boston College's graduation in mid May with rooms running around $300 a night.

And the city is working on improvements at Cassidy Park.

"It's just going to bring a lot of life to this area. There wasn't a lot going on in this area for a while so it brings a lot of options for our residents and their families and guests," said Quigley.

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Previously:

Circle Cinema Site Nears Completion, Circle Sign Is Back

Circle Cinema site yields clues to past life

Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch