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John Marini's
River Village condo development making steady progress
By Jeffrey
Pickette
Citizen Staff
After only
three months of construction, much of the framework has already
been erected at the River Village condo development, site of the
former Emerson and Cuming building. Located at the corner of
Walpole and Neponset streets, these luxury condos are the latest
residential project for Canton developer John S. Marini.
Marini
estimates that 60 percent of the project is complete and targets
its finish-date for this December. According to the
development’s website, the wood framing for the “west” and
“center” sections of the building — the portion furthest from
Neponset Street — is complete, allowing for interior work to
begin, while the “east” section, which is closest to Neponset
Street, is in the process of having its roof installed.
River
Village will be a three-story, 56-unit residence complete with a
112-space underground parking garage, situated beneath the
building. A centrally located clubhouse is flanked by the “west”
and “east” portions of the building, which will each contain 28
units.
Forty-eight
two-bedroom, two-bathroom units will be available, ranging in
size from 1,275 to 1,500 square feet, as well as eight
one-bedroom, one-bathroom units with 900 square feet of living
space. Each unit will also have a patio, ranging in size from 60
to 80 square feet.
Marini said
an official selling price has not been decided on, but he
estimates the two-bedroom condos will sell for higher than
$400,000 while the one-bedroom condos will be valued in the high
$300,000 range.
“They’re
luxury condominiums in a beautiful location, close to
transportation and they’re well-built,” Marini said.
The
6,000-square foot clubhouse includes a fitness center, a lounge
and library, an internet café, and a multi-purpose function
room. Units in the front of the building, facing Walpole Street,
have a view of the historic Canton Viaduct, while units in the
back of the building overlook Canton River.
Marini
originally purchased the land almost four years ago for $3
million and had it rezoned from industrial to residential. An
additional $1.5 million was spent to demolish the former Emerson
and Cuming building and clear the surrounding area.
The
Neponset Woolen Mills occupied the building in the first half of
the 20th century
before Emerson and Cuming took over in 1959. According to a
Historical Society publication, Paul Revere’s son, Joseph, was
one of the original owners of the property, which dates back to
the early 1800s.
Despite the
factory’s historical significance, Marini faced no opposition
from Canton officials when seeking approval for his
development.
“At the town
meeting we had 100 percent [support] and at the zoning board we
had no objections against it,” Marini said. “All the land around
it was zoned residential and this was an old building in
terrible condition.”
As part of
the construction of River Village, beams and stone from the
original building are being used. In the center of the
clubhouse, a stone tower, complete with a lantern, will serve as
the focal point of the building. This tower is a replica of the
original bell tower that stood at the old factory until 1930,
when it was removed for precautionary reasons.
After Marini
purchased the land, he was given a special permit to construct
56 units in March of 2005; however, initial construction was
delayed when a fire in an Emerson and Cuming plant in Texas
caused the company to continue using its Walpole Street factory,
according to minutes from a January 2007 zoning board meeting.
Despite the
high costs of purchasing and ultimately clearing the land, in
addition to the $27 million price tag for the condo
construction, Marini feels it has been a worthwhile investment.
“My office
is right across the street and I was getting tired of looking at
that old dilapidated building,” joked Marini.
For more
information, visit the project’s website,
www.rivervillagecanton.com.
August 14, 2008
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