Boston Development celebrates 50 years with $40 million condo project

Celebrating 50 years in business, the Boston Development Group shows no signs of slowing down. Credited with developing the first ever condominiums on the East Coast, principal David Zussman has long been a real estate visionary. Zussman leads the affiliated family of privately held real estate companies known as the Boston Development Group from the corporate headquarters in Newton Centre, Mass. Since 1968 Zussman has built over eight thousand condominiums as well as numerous single-family homes, office buildings and hotels along the east coast. Zussman's primary focus uses the value added strategy. Whether it is new construction, renovation, restoration or the repositioning of a property, the Boston Development Group draws on acquisition and management experience to turn each new venture into a success. Fifty years ago, Zussman began his real estate career building houses in the suburbs of Greater Boston. Today, some of the same home buyers he sold to in Chestnut Hill in the 1960s have come back to purchase his company's new condominiums in the same neighborhood. The Boston Development Group's latest condominium project brings Zussman back to his roots, with the new construction of Hammondswood at Chestnut Hill, located at 629 Hammond St. This project slated for a March 2008 completion consists of 59 two and three bedroom residences with 22 distinctive single level floor plans ranging in size from 1200 to 2500 s/f, most with dens or offices. The construction cost for this project is $40 million. This project was built on three core principles: value, quality and location, minutes from Boston, Rte 128 and the Mass. Pike. It is because of these principles that the project is over 25% committed at the beginning of the pre-construction period. True to Zussman's innovative aptitude, Hammondswood is planning to bring back the Chestnut Tree to Chestnut Hill. The trees will envelope the quasi-urban setting of the project, as well as return an endangered tree species to its indigenous roots and provide sustainable greenery. "We strive to add value not only within our project boundaries, but for the neighboring community as well," he said.