Local Business Owners among the First Residents of Harbor Place

It was a chance encounter that led engaged couple Kristen McVay and Jason Ostrowski to move into their new, scenic riverfront apartment at Harbor Place in Haverhill.

The Merrimack Valley natives were not looking for a new place to live and were definitely not thinking about moving when they drove by the beautiful new complex and decided to take a look. They immediately fell in love with the views, outdoor space, facilities and the boardwalk; they now love the lifestyle.

A busy couple, Kristen and Jason are owners of Teased Salon and Studio in Haverhill and Crew Barre & Cycle in North Andover; they love living and working in the community. “This is the perfect combination of city amenities with a small town feeling,” said Jason. “A friend came to our new apartment and was amazed saying the place belonged on Newbury Street, not in Haverhill.”

Kristen has gotten the same reaction from family and friends. “We had a beautiful, warm day recently and my parents called to ask if they could come over for a drink on the deck. I honestly feel like I live in a hotel,” she said.

A recent snow storm forced Kristen and Jason to cancel classes at the Crew Barre & Cycle but Kristen was able to safely make her way to the Harbor Place fitness center where she live-streamed a workout class to all of her clients through facebook.

Kristen and Jason have already enjoyed walking their dog on the boardwalk, watching sunsets and sunrises over the river and watching storms rolling into the valley. Having moved in at the end of January they are excited to welcome the warm weather in their new home. The developers plan to transform an additional riverfront parcel of land to include recreational boat dock with ocean access. The couple owns a boat that they dock the Merrimack River and love the idea of having walking access from home to the boat.

Harbor Place is a mixed-use campus offering apartments, a college satellite, shops, restaurants and commercial space that has transformed the former Woolworth Building, which has been vacant for over 40 years. This scenic riverfront location offers a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment homes with underground parking and private balconies available on select apartments.

Harbor Place at Merrimack is located on the eastern end of downtown Haverhill and is minutes from convenient shopping and approximately one-half mile from the MBTA commuter rail station. The property includes fifteen (15) one-bedroom apartments of 727 square feet; thirty (30) two-bedroom apartments of 1,043 square feet; and five (5) three-bedroom apartments of 1,178 square feet. Also included are two (2) one-bedroom and two (2) two-bedroom apartments that are handicapped accessible. Residents also enjoy fitness center, outdoor green space, fire pit, spectacular views and, pedestrian walkways. In addition to on-site parking, there are 25 underground parking spaces, and an additional 25 spaces in the city's garage across the street.

Phase I of the project includes a five-story, 58,000 square-foot commercial building with first-floor commercial and retail space. In addition, there is an office suite on the top floor (11,000 square feet)) and three prime ground floor retail or restaurant spaces. The UMass Lowell, Haverhill satellite campus now occupies the second and third floors and, there is additional office space on top floors. The new headquarters for Pentucket Bank and HC Media’s new, state-of-the-art second location are located on the first floor of Harbor Place building.