Bay Village: Not the South End
Most of Boston’s neighborhoods posses a defining quality usually summed up in a word or two: Beacon Hill, money; Back Bay, fashion; North End, food. Bay Village, however, lacks any simple word-association. Moreover, most couldn’t begin to describe Bay Village because nobody knows it exists, not even most Boston residents.
Those who mention Bay Village often mistakenly refer to Bay Village and the South End as one entity; however, since the Sixties, a 300 foot chasm created for the Mass Pike separates these former neighbors. Although the Pike now separates the two, they never should have been considered a single unit. They don’t fit together in any way; craftsmen built them in different styles during different periods. Several better-known neighborhoods, including Beacon Hill, could claim ownership of the Village, but I suspect the seven hundred Bay Village residents would throw a fit, arguing its half-dozen streets make up an area with its own resident association, its own resident parking permits, and its own neighborhood identity.
A single, difficult-to-find entrance keeps the neighborhood well-hidden and quiet. The close-knit community keeps the streets clean of trash and illegal activity. Nearby Combat Zone dwellers found the quiet, gas-lit neighborhood perfect for all kinds of illegal activity, notably prostitution, but proud residents tracked license plates, writing johns at home to discourage their return. The effort paid off, giving Bay Village a small-town feel in the middle of a big city.
16 Melrose Street,#3
$619,000
Beds: 2/Baths: 2
SQ.FT.: 1050
$/SQ.FT.: $590
18 Melrose Street, #2
$799,000
Beds: 2/Baths: 2.5
SQ.FT.: 1351
$/SQ.FT.: $591
38 Melrose Street, #2
$1,160,000
Beds: 2/Baths: 2.5
SQ.FT.: 1732
$/SQ.FT.: $670
28 Fayette Street
$1,399,000
Beds: 3/Baths: 2.5
SQ.FT.: 2669
$/SQ.FT.: $524
