Ten Essex Central Square Cambridge
Cambridge has one of the most competitive rental markets in the country, so any new construction is quickly swooped in on by eager tenants. Locals have been awaiting the opening of Ten Essex Apartments in Central Square for some time, but their wait is nearly over. Although still under construction, the interior finishes are currently being completed, and pre-leasing has begun. Read on to learn more about this new property and for information on how to rent a place there with help from Boston City Properties.
Expect High Rents
Now that pricing information is available for Ten Essex, the development has been highlighted in the news as a prime example of the exorbitant rental prices that plague the area. Studio units in this 46-unit building will start at $2,500 per month, and three-bedroom units will start at a whopping $5,100 per month.
About Ten Essex
Located in Central Square directly adjacent to the H Mart Supermarket, Ten Essex stands six stories tall and includes 46 units; five of these are earmarked for affordable housing. Close to the Red Line Central Square stop, Ten Essex offers a total of 114,000 square feet of housing, common areas and retail space.
Building Amenities
Given the price of the rent, tenants can expect to enjoy a variety of prime building amenities, including:
- Common outdoor areas – The building includes a courtyard as well as a sprawling roof deck, so there is plenty of common outdoor space for residents to spread out and be comfortable.
- Underground car and bike parking – A small underground garage is available. Bike parking is free, but you must pay additional rent for a parking space. Designed as a transit-oriented building, Ten Essex only offers 23 spaces. Therefore, if you will need one, you will want to be among the first to sign a lease there.
- LEED Gold certification – This development has achieved the coveted LEED Gold designation, which denotes its excellence in terms of sustainability and energy conservation. These features not only save the building and its residents energy and money, but they help the community to do its part to help the environment.
- Ground-floor retail space – A mixed-use development, Ten Essex includes 11,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor. So far, only one tenant – a convenience store – has been confirmed. However, you can expect for the ground floor of this building to include things like a coffee shop, a small eatery and various shops and boutiques.
- Amazon package concierge – Ordering from Amazon saves city dwellers considerable amounts of time and effort. However, many buildings make it difficult to accept packages, which can be stressful. Ten Essex will offer an Amazon package concierge from the day that it opens – September 1st – so tenants won’t have to fret about receiving deliveries on time.
- On-site management – Not surprisingly, this development boasts on-site management. This makes sense given the upscale nature of the building and its luxury apartments. Since management is available on site, you won’t have to wait long to get the help that you need as a resident of Ten Essex.
- Smartphone entry – Gaining access to the building is easy and high-tech thanks to smartphone-enabled entry. Although some may be disappointed by the lack of a doorman, the building is so small that it wouldn’t be reasonable to have one. Offering smartphone entry eliminates the need for tenants to keep keys on them, which is a nice perk.
- Bike repair – Cycling is a big deal in Boston – and not just for recreation. Many apartment dwellers rely on bicycles to get around the city more quickly and easily, and Ten Essex acknowledges this by offering on-site bike repair stations. These stations have the tools and supplies that are needed to make quick repairs like patching tires or adding air to them.
Apartment Amenities
Ten Essex has a lot to offer as a building as a whole, but it especially shines in terms of the amenities that are included in its 46 luxury units. Some of the upscale features that you can expect to enjoy as a tenant of this development include:
- In-unit washer and dryer – As is the case with virtually all of the new luxury developments in the Boston area, units in this Central Square building include washers and dryers. At Ten Essex, then, there’s no need to use common laundry facilities or to schlep your stuff down to a laundromat.
- Smart home technology – In addition to being able to gain entry to the premises via smartphone, residences at Ten Essex are loaded with top-notch smart home technology. For example, each unit is equipped with its own Nest thermostat that can be controlled remotely via a mobile app. More than likely, units will also include hard-wired connections that make it a breeze to connect various mobile devices.
- Stainless steel appliances – Kitchens in these units are designed with the gourmet chef in mind, so it comes as no surprise that they include high-end stainless steel appliances. You will enjoy whipping up elaborate or quick meals with your upscale, stainless steel range, refrigerator and other appliances.
- Elegant kitchen designs – In addition to being loaded with stylish stainless steel appliances, kitchens in the units at Ten Essex feature eye-catching Thermofoil cabinets that add a healthy dose of prestige and style. Gorgeous quartz countertops further enhance the overall design of these gourmet kitchens.
- Private outdoor balconies – Many of the units in this building – 18 in total – have their own private outdoor balconies. Since there are only 46 units total, and less than half of them have balconies, those who act early and quickly are more likely to snag them. Boston City Properties can help you to secure a home here with a balcony when the time comes.
- ENERGY STAR features – All of the appliances in these units are ENERGY STAR rated, so they require less energy for operation and cost less to use. The same thing applies to the HVAC system of the building. This feature allows the heating and cooling system to operate more effectively and efficiently while conserving energy and keeping costs in check.
Apartment Options
You can take your pick from four different unit sizes spanning nine different designs and configurations. These units are spread across six stories, so there are fewer than 10 per floor. Here’s what to expect:
- Studio units – As mentioned before, studio units at Ten Essex will start at $2,500 per month. They range in size from around 370 square feet to roughly 400 square feet. As studios, they don’t have separate bedrooms, but they do include one bathroom.
- One-bedroom units – One-bedroom homes here offer between 550 and 775 square feet of space, and they include one bathroom. Currently, these units are pre-leasing starting at $3,000 per month, and they are sure to go quickly.
- Two-bedroom units – If you can afford to pay rent that starts at about $3,600 per month, you can snag a more spacious two-bedroom, one-bathroom unit here. For that price, you will enjoy anywhere from 750 to more than 1,050 square feet of living space. Some units also have balconies that add a little more room.
- Three-bedroom units – Three-bedroom homes in this building include two bathrooms, so they are perfect for roommate situations or for families. These units offer anywhere from 975 to more than 1,200 square feet of space, and several of them include balconies. Of course, you will pay a premium to acquire one of these units; currently, the monthly rent for one starts at $5,100.
Apply Soon to Enjoy Prime Lease Amenities
Although one wouldn’t think that a new luxury building in Central Square would need to offer incentives to attract tenants, Ten Essex is currently doing just that. With the help of Boston City Properties, you could lease a place here soon and enjoy these extras:
- A three-month MBTA Charlie Card pass
- One-year free membership with ZipCar
- One-year free Blue Bike membership
- A $50 gift certificate to a local bicycle shop
Why is the Rent so High?
Ten Essex is being cited as a prime example of the rent affordability problem that affects the entire region. Vacancy rates here hit their lowest point in February, but new developments like this one should help with that. Rent prices are up by nearly 3 percent over last year, and they continue to rise on a monthly basis across the area.
Many factors are contributing to the high rental rates of the area, including gentrification; the end of rent control during the mid-1990s; the huge student population; zoning impediments to new construction and the tendency of millennials to stay put in big cities well into adulthood.
Want to Rent a Place at Ten Essex? Boston City Properties can Help
If you’d like to rent a place at Ten Essex for its September 1st opening, Boston City Properties is here to help. It pays to act early in this competitive rental market, and we can help you to check current availability to find the perfect place through our convenient, searchable online database of MA real estate listings. Our team can also connect you with a local real estate professional who can take you to check out units in this building and more. For any questions, please contact Boston City Properties.