Rate the condos

[brick]

I had typed the following response to a Cotuit post:

I really think this is the property to live in. OneTen wins with the bay views (they were trying to talk about the bay views at Waterplce, but you have to peer between Downcity buildings to see it) but the location of Waterplace wins over OneTen and Westin in my opinion (if they keep Waterplace clean).

I think the Westin will have the best services since it is basically an extension of the hotel services. Also, none of the units are that close to the ground, since the garage and hotel is below.

110 I think has the best big spaces, maybe the area isn't quite as cool as Waterplace, but it is only a short walk, and instead of Waterfire basin, you get the ballroom which I like better anyway . But, the big spaces there are going to be $1 MM plus, I would imagine. 110 will also be more quiet on the lower the floors, if that kind of thing is important to you.

I think Waterplace is the best location, and the best units in the 4-800K range. The bigger units are too divided and regular to me. As a living space I much prefer the odd shapes of the Westin units and the open plans at 110. However, since it is a complete fantasy for me to live at any of them, my opinion should be taken lightly.

Adding in ALCO as a major project, I figure I rate them the following way:

Site	View  Neigh.  Amen.  LS <1200 s.f. LS > 1200 s.f.

Westin  8	 7	   10	 7			 9

WP	  7	 9	   7	  6			 7

110	 10	5	   7	  8			 10

ALCO	3	 10	  6	  ?			 ?

My 10 on ALCO's neighborhood is in anticipation of a nice mixed-use development and some good interaction at the street level. I think it will feel more like a neighborhood than the other places, and will also have more "regular" services, like a grocery store, closer.

The poll is kind of superfluous, I'm more interested in people comparing/contrasting, what have you.

[runawayjim]

i voted waterplace... the amenities are great, the prices aren't as bad as 110 (and i think it was cheaper than westin as well) and you can't beat the location regardless of noise from people (which will only generally be waterfire nights). westin will have all the noise from the highway ramp and that hellish intersection. 110 is just crazy expensive. alco, while possibly nice doesn't seem to have anything concrete to tell us about the environment yet, so i can't even judge that one in this question yet.

[JJK5]

Personally, if I won the powerball I'd probably buy a place at Waterplace. I just like the location better. Close to the mall, close to many restaurants, perfect for WaterFire, views are better imo.

[Cotuit]

I think Westin will have the worst "neighborhood." I wouldn't want to come down the elevator and find myself in all that hotel and mall traffic. I know they have their own entrance, but it is on the Westin driveway. OneTen I'd be fine with, and might like day to day the most. But I think being right in Waterplace is killer. I have to believe that the people at Waterplace are going to make a point of taking care of the park. I also think we'll find that there will be some nice ammenities like cafes and restaurants in Waterplace (in addition to the GTECH and Union Station Plaza restaurants). I think stepping out the front door into Waterplace is going to be wonderful. ALCO does have the proximity to Shaw's, but I haven't seen a good plan for the actual ALCO site itself. I hope it's not a collection of surface lots like Eagle Square (and I think it won't be). The area has potential, but we'll have to wait and see if it is ever acheived.

I think all three of the big Downcity projects will be pretty evenly matched on ammenities, such as housekeeping and catering and such, but I think OneTen may have the edge there seeing how high priced those units are.

OneTen wins on Bay Views, and regardless of what else gets built, will probably keep it's State House views (which Waterplace could lose). I think Waterplace edges out the Westin for views though. One whole side of the Westin gets the Federal Hill view, which is really not that good or interesting, Waterplace gets the classic postcard Downcity view, Westin gets an oblique view, and OneTen gets no view of the postcard view, because it will be part of it.

[runawayjim]

i think the best view for city living is the waterplace view of the skyline... which will only be that much better with 110 built.

[Recchia]

Definitely Waterplace. You walk out your front door and you can be at the train station, a nice river park, a mall and all of downtown. I'd kill to live there.

[brick]

Just to clarify my point on the services.

In two years or five years, people may decide that it's not worth the fee to pay for services at the other places and the condo assoc. might discontinue pieces of them. What's worse would be to still offer them, but try to do it on a discounted basis - like you can drop off your dry cleaning, but it might take two weeks to get done and you have to pick it up on Tuesday only kind of thing. At the Westin, they are all just extensions of the hotel service, and the hotel isn't going anywhere, so you can be more sure that all the services will pretty much be at their full level of service the entire time you live there.

On views I rated based on the best views of the complex. One thing Waterplace does get extra credit for is the staggering of the buildings so that there are no units that only have views of the other building. therefore, I don't think there is a bad view from there (depending on Phase II of course). Westin if you are on the back side you get a view of the other Westin tower, a bunch of highways, and the landfill.

[Gusterfell]

I think Waterplace will have the best views, being more removed from the skyline than One Ten or even Westin II. Imagine being able to enjoy Waterfire from your own living room. Based on the websites, I prefer the floor plans of the units at One Ten, but overall I'd probably buy at Waterplace.