Dorchester Avenue is a street undisturbed by time or fashion. It’s the spine of a neighborhood replete with ethnic eateries, gentlemen’s bars, tiny groceries, and churches. Follow it long enough, through Savin Hill and Fields Corner, past the decaying superettes and Irish pubs, and eventually you’re in Ashmont.
Where?
True, at first blush Ashmont might seem like a mythical, god-forsaken area somewhere off Route 93. But it’s a neighborhood worth discovering, tucked away in the shadow of Lower Mills, whose ancient mills are now being refitted as condos and lofts. Ashmont is undergoing similar gentrification, though to a subtler degree. You won’t find flashy lofts here. The landscape is understated and lovely, with narrow streets dotted with old Victorian homes.
There’s a lot to like about the neighborhood. It’s convenient — minutes from the highway, a quick drive from downtown. It has definite hipster potential: Ashmont Grill and Tavolo, the brainchildren of super-chef Chris Douglass, call it home. And, oh yes, it’s on the Red Line. The Ashmont T station is undergoing a $55 million redesign, due to debut this summer.
So it’s no surprise that 20- and 30-somethings in search of juicy real estate deals are flocking here. Anchoring the area’s residential renaissance is the Carruth, a six-story condo complex. At first glance, it looks kind of like a mini-mall: the first floor houses a bank and a coffee shop, with Tavolo tucked into a quiet corner. Inside, though, is a stylish assemblage of one- and two-bedroom homes. Lower floors are available for rent, and some are reserved for fixed-income residents. The top two floors are primarily geared toward buyers. (Thanks to the sluggish economy, the Carruth has since opened up these floors to a lease-to-buy option.)
Craig Estee, who settled into his Carruth two-bedroom last month, is taking advantage of this deal. The 36-year-old teacher and longtime Gargoyles server loved the location, the convenience, and the building’s creature comforts. He’s not alone. The divorced dad of two girls has found plenty of like-minded neighbors down the hall. “People like me live here,” he says. “The other day, I met another divorced guy with kids. There’s families. It’s a place where my girls feel safe.” Remarkably, it only takes him 45 minutes on the Red Line to get from his Dorchester abode to his night shift in Somerville. His family on the South Shore is a quick jaunt down 93. Kid-friendly Dorchester Park is just a few blocks away. Stand on his small balcony, and you can see the Prudential on your right and the Blue Hills on your left.
Convenience aside, the Carruth also boasts an eco-coolness factor. The building itself is LEED certified. Estee gleefully shows off his kitchen, which is tricked out with LG stainless-steel energy-efficient appliances and bamboo floors. (The kitchen gets extra style props for a Bosch cooktop and yummy cherry cabinets.) Downstairs, there’s a heated garage — ideal, he says, for bundling his two kids into the car during the dead of winter.
And then there’s the restaurant scene. Tavolo is just an elevator ride away. The restaurant is perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner, with gourmet pizzas and simple pastas going for $15 and less. Up the street a few blocks is another Douglass production, Ashmont Grill. It’s a quality restaurant with a down-to-earth neighborhood sensibility. Estee visits both spots at least twice a week.
What’s nicest about Ashmont, though, is that the crumbling superettes and the mom ’n’ pop restaurants are just a short walk away. Estee recommends a favorite Jamaican place where roti is served through a plexiglass window. Some neighborhoods jam trendiness down your throat and drive out smaller businesses in the process. In Ashmont, it seems, there’s room enough for everyone.
Best of all, the price here is right: Estee pays about $1500 per month for 1000 square feet — including heat, A/C, and hot water. A two-bedroom apartment, in Boston, with skyline views and a gourmet restaurant in the building, for $1500? There is a promised land, my friends. It happens to be in Dorchester. And on the subway, no less.
