Newton, MA Chestnut Hill Realty (CHR), a full-service real estate company specializing in multifamily housing, celebrated the grand opening of Hancock Estates at Chestnut Hill, a new apartment community. The event was marked by a gala ribbon cutting ceremony, which included remarks from mayor Ruthanne Fuller, town officials, community leaders, and Chestnut Hill Realty CEO and founder Ed Zuker. 

The project, which began construction in December 2015, is the vision of Zuker.  He was looking to create a unique property that would meet the needs of current and prospective residents of the town and surrounding communities. These goals were enthusiastically shared by town officials, including Fuller, Cheryl Lappin, and Rick Lipof. Like many areas of Boston and other parts of the country, there is a shortage of quality housing stock.

“We were approached back in 2014 with this very challenging site which was characterized by rugged, rocky terrain and beautiful, unspoiled natural vistas that were directly adjacent to an established community of single family homes,“ said Zuker.  “As a native of the area, long-time resident and owner/developer of apartment communities, I saw great potential to create something that didn’t previously exist in the Boston suburbs – a luxury condo-level quality apartment property. In conversations with friends and neighbors who have resided in the Chestnut Hill area for decades, I learned several things that informed my concept for Hancock Estates. They wanted to give up their large homes without giving up the amenities of a large home. They wanted to maintain their current living standards. And, probably most importantly, they wanted the security of a long-term lease, and the flexibility to use the proceeds from the sale of their homes to travel or make other investments.” 

Marc Levin, president of development and construction, said, “Ultimately, we had to blast and remove over 60,000 cubic yards of material to even create a site we could build on. It was a team effort, a collaboration between TAT, the architect; Stantec, the civil engineers; Nauset Construction and our in-house horticultural staff and development people. But the outcome has exceeded our expectations, delivering a heritage site that blends seamlessly into its natural surroundings, while providing high quality housing and lifestyle amenities.”

Comprising 88 condo-quality apartment homes, the occupancy level at Hancock Estates is well ahead of schedule. The open concept one and two-bedroom units boast high-end finishes and features including 10’ ceilings, hardwood floors, custom closets and spa-like bathrooms.  

Residents have a choice of kitchen styles (contemporary or traditional) with custom cabinets, quartz or granite countertops, and top-of- the-line appliances. Convenience features include a keypad controlled lighting system, motorized window coverings and in-unit full-size washer/dryer. The property offers a range of amenities and services, such as concierge, secure package acceptance lockers, theater gaming room, community lounge, video conference room, activity room with kitchen, guest suite, fitness center, home office center, grilling area and community garden. Pet owners may avail themselves of the fenced dog run area and grooming station.

In honor of the project, CHR donated $10,000 to two local charities - $5,000 to Friends of Newton Tennis, whose mission is to make tennis available to all Newton residents; and $5,000 to the Newton Schools Foundation, whose mission is to enhance and broaden community support for public education and provide private funding for enhancement, innovation and challenging programs across a student’s K-12 experiences in the Newton public schools. The company has a long standing tradition of giving back to the communities where its properties are located, and encouraging residents to do the same.

Zuker said, “We’ve always managed people’s homes with pride. Now we also want to create an environment where our residents can build their own communities at CHR properties.  As at our other properties, Hancock Estates has fun and creative monthly resident events that are planned by the onsite property management team so neighbors get opportunities to meet and get to know each other. I was delighted to find out recently that even after a relatively short period of time that Hancock Estates residents have started to create and sponsor their own book clubs, exercise groups and social events.  It’s nice to know the seeds of community we have planted are taking root and flourishing.”