>>Valley Patriot>>
|
Monarch on the Merrimack
Spreads
its Wings
08/02/06
Amid reports of a
deflating housing bubble, over at Monarch on the
Merrimack at the Wood Mill, developer Robert Ansin has
been taking reservations months before a model is even
ready to look at.
The reason?
The best views in Lawrence, a prime location within a
stone’s throw of I-495, acres of green space, on
site parking, a train station right across the street,
money-saving geothermal heating and air conditioning, and
a design team with national stature.
“I was thrilled to get Feingold and Alexander, the
architects who supervised the restoration of Ellis
Island,” Ansin says, “and Copley Wolff, the
landscape architects who are designing the Rose Kennedy
Greenway.
“Since we bought the building in the fall of 2003,
we’ve taken the time to do our homework,” he
adds. “Our goal was not just any development, but to
create a new community that would have the potential to
transform Lawrence.”
Ansin says that the development team he’s put in
place is a reflection of this commitment. If you look up
as you drive past the Wood Mill these days, you’ll
see some of the work in progress.
Into the first phase of development, the 100-year-old
mill building is the largest residential mill conversion
in New England. Phase one will include 200 loft style
condominiums, retail shops, and several floors of office
space.
Ansin says that all kinds of work is being done in the
building to get ready for the major construction that
will begin later this month.
“We’ve got sandblasters exposing the old brick
and oak, we’re removing materials for recycling and
re-use, and we’re going to replace every window in
the building at once,” he says.
One of his goals is to communicate the strengths of
Lawrence and the Merrimack Valley region as part of his
marketing effort. “We want to make sure that
we get the word out that there this is a uniquely
desirable place to live,” Ansin says.
The Monarch marketing and communications team will also
include Aquarius Advisers, a Boston-area consulting firm
with national scope and Merrimack Valley roots, and
Visual Republique, a Lawrence advertising agency whose
principals hail from leaders such as advertising giant
Hill Holliday.
“Pre-construction sales exceeded my—and
everyone’s—expectations,” says Ansin.
“People of all ages are buying here. They tell us
how much they love the idea of being part of this
community and the positive impact they think it will have
on the future of the city.”
*Send your questions comments to ValleyPatriot@aol.com
The August, 2006 Edition
of the Valley Patriot
The Valley Patriot is a Monthly
Publication.
All Contents (C) 2006, Valley Patriot, Inc.
We publish 9,000 newspapers and distribute in Andover,
North Andover,
Methuen, Haverhill, Chelmsford, Georgetown, Groveland,
Boxford,
Lawrence, Dracut, Tewksbury, Hampton & Salisbury
Beach, and Lowell.
|
Valley Patriot Archive
Prior columns by TomDuggan
Prior Lead Stories
Councilor Opposes HOme
for Disabled Child
So Many Questions So Few
Answers
|
