Chelsea

Bellingham Square, at the intersection of the Mystic River and Charles Creek, is the historic district of Chelsea. As the smallest city in Massachusetts with a high population density, Chelsea covers less than 2.5 square miles and has over 40,000 residents. Originally inhabited by the Naumkeag tribe, Chelsea became a manufacturing center in the 19th century and attracted many Eastern European and Jewish immigrants. Today, Bellingham Square still has a large industrial sector that provides many job opportunities, and the peninsula is home to a large Latino population, which in turn, has created a vibrant and lively Latin American food scene. “You see a large number of patrons coming into the restaurants and bars during the weekends,” says Roy Avellaneda, who is a lifelong Chelsea resident, a former city councilor and a Realtor at Metropolitan Boston Real Estate. “Bellingham Square is the hub of Chelsea. It’s where the city hall is located, and all of the buses that traverse Chelsea pass through here.” Sitting on tightly packed, gridded streets, most of Bellingham Square's homes are condos converted from multi-family houses and triple-deckers built between the late 1800s and the 1950s. A large portion of Bellingham Square residents, over 70%, are renters. Individual condo units typically range from around $400,000 to $500,000. More recently developed condominiums and townhouses from the 1980s are listed around similar price ranges and have monthly association fees. Entire multi-family properties and triple-deckers can fetch from $800,000 to $1.5 million. These buildings often appeal more to investors and homeowners who plan to live on one level and rent out the rest. “Chelsea is one of the few communities that offer the Residential Exemption, a property tax exemption clause for homeowners who occupy and live in their primary residences in Chelsea,” Avellaneda says. “So, if you own a triple-decker and you live on one of the floors, you can apply and get a 35% property tax exemption.” There are also several single-family homes with 1,000-square-foot yards listing around $500,000. While flood zones are concentrated around the community’s industrial sections, there are still some residential properties situated in flood zones, and homebuyers may have to purchase flood insurance. Known for its vibrant Latin American food scene, popular restaurants in the area include Rincón Hondureño and El Santaneco Restaurant. One of the community’s staple grocery stores is Stop and Compare Market. “It’s likened to a Latino version of Trader Joe’s,” Avellaneda says. Katz Bagel Bakery is known for its signature pizza bagels and Ciao! Pizza and Pasta serves house-made pasta. Mystic Mall, which is less than a mile away, is the city’s main shopping center and has big-box retailers such as T. J. Maxx and HomeGoods, as well as franchised restaurants. Market Basket is across the parking lot and sits in the same plaza. Farther west, Gateway Center is home to Target, Costco, CVS Pharmacy and The Home Depot. Overlooking the Mystic River, Mary O'Malley State Park is at the western tip of Chelsea and has views of Tobin Bridge. This popular riverfront park also has a playground, tennis courts and walkways, as well as a large field for picnics. Many pocket parks and playgrounds are also found throughout the area, including Quigley Park, the Chelsea Community Garden and Bellingham Hill Park. Highland Park has a soccer field, and the Chelsea Greenway is a local rail trail that parallels the Silver Line busway. The rail trail also connects Eastern Avenue Station to Bellingham Square Station. In the summer, the Apollinaire Theatre Company performs free public plays at Port Park. For a trip to the ocean, Orient Heights Beach is about 2 miles away, and the Belle Isle Marsh Reservation has a viewing deck for watching planes. Due to the proximity of the Boston Logan International Airport, which is 3 miles south and right across Charles Creek, locals may be impacted by the aviation noise. To help with noise reduction, the government has implemented the Residential Sound Insulation Program in which install Massport windows that mitigate and block outside noise were installed in area properties for free. Boston and Cambridge are approximately 4 or 5 miles south of the area via U.S. Route 1, which passes through Chelsea. Those who prefer the public transit system can walk to Chelsea Station and take the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Newburyport/Rockport Line, which is one stop away from Boston’s North Station. For checkups or emergencies, Mass General: Chelsea HealthCare Center is right in the city. The neighborhood's CAP Index crime score for robbery is 7 out of 10, which is higher than the national average of 4. Young students may begin primary school at George F. Kelly Elementary School, which is graded a C on Niche. They can then move on to Browne Middle School, which has a C-minus. Both schools offer a dual-language program to help students become fluent in English and Spanish. Chelsea High School scores a C and partners with Bunker Hill Community College for the Early College Program, which lets students take community college classes and provides scholarships to eligible students. Chelsea High also has career pathway curriculums in education, law and health science. Every year, the City of Chelsea organizes Chelsea Day, a street fair event that celebrates the community with a carnival, games, a beer garden, live music and food. In October, locals come together for Dia de Los Muertos or Day of the Dead, with a puppet parade, activities such as skull decorations and paper marigold crafting and refreshments from TravelMug Café. Additional events include the Baleada Fiesta, which honors Honduras’ national dish, summer concerts at Washington Park and the Chelsea Pride Flag Raising.

A pocket of the small but densely populated city of Chelsea, Prattville offers green space, plenty of restaurants and convenient access to Boston. This walkable suburb, just 5 miles north of the harbor, increases in popularity as transit options develop and the housing market becomes more competitive downtown. “A big reason folks choose to buy here is because the price point is lower than what you’ll find in areas closer to Boston,” says local Realtor Doug McCusker with Cutter Lux Living, Compass Real Estate. Prattville residents can reap the benefits of having big-city amenities nearby without having to live in the heart of all the action. While Prattville maintains a relatively urban feel, the high volume of residential streets give the area a quieter, slower-paced atmosphere than surrounding options. Among the cityscape, Washington Park serves as an attractive urban green space with benches and seating areas under its tall trees. The park anchors the southern part of the neighborhood, with restaurants and other businesses along the perimeter of its square shape. Up a few blocks on Washington Avenue, Voke Park provides athletic amenities and open, dog-friendly fields. Visitors can play tennis, basketball and baseball, while kids explore the well-kept jungle gym. The city recently added a splash-pad feature, great for cooling off in the summer. With Revere right next door and the coast under 3 miles east, beach days are easy and accessible. Washington Avenue, the main thoroughfare in the neighborhood, leads to a cluster of shops and restaurants, including Dunkin’ Donuts, convenience stores and local businesses. Pizza Lovers and Prattville Pizza & Grill serve up classic and gourmet pies, and the Central American spot, El Buen Sabor, creates specialty cakes, baked goods and coffee. For a sit-down meal, Tambo 22 Peruvian Kitchen & Bar off Adams Street has a dynamic cocktail and food menu, including items from octopus to pork belly sandwiches. While convenience stores are accessible in the neighborhood, Target, The Home Depot and Market Basket are all within about 3 miles. Right next door in Somerville, the Assembly Rowe outlet mall has dozens of retail storefronts, as well as restaurants and entertainment. The Chelsea Public Library works to incorporate events throughout the year to keep the community close and interactive. The staff conducts educational activities and forums, like online webinars for queer representation and Let’s Talk Finances seminars. Other activities include teen coloring sessions, book clubs and video game days, where kids can come together to play on library-owned consoles. The city celebrates numerous holidays with Memorial Day ceremonies, firetruck Santa visits, Dia De Los Muertos festivities and the Halloween Dance Jamboree and costume contest. Yard sales also pop up throughout Chelsea on most Saturdays during the warmer months, oftentimes hosted by the Christian churches in the area. A Muslim center and orthodox synagogue can be found within 1 mile of Prattville. A stroll through Prattville exudes history, with 19th- and 20th- century homes lining its sidewalks. Housing types range from small Capes to large multifamily properties with two or three units. Single-family homes tend to sell between $500,000 and $700,000, while entire multi-families can climb up to $1 million. Inventory is low, and the market, competitive. "Homes usually sell within 25 days on the market,” McCusker says. Most plots feature private driveways or garages, so street-parking typically does not become an issue. With Voke and Washington Parks nearby, most residents have a community outdoor area within walking distance of home. Chelsea Public Schools is part of a five-district partnership with Everett, Malden, Revere and Winthrop that collaborates to improve curriculum and instruction. Kindergarteners can begin at John Silber Early Learning Center before heading off to one of the primary-school options. George F. Kelly Elementary sits nearby and scores a C grade on Niche, while Clark Avenue School has a C-minus. Chelsea High earns a C and offers 11 Advanced Placement (AP) courses and about 20 sports teams, from water polo to ice hockey. Route 1 serves as one of Boston’s major thoroughfares, and it cuts right along the eastern border of Prattville. Interstate 90 also runs close by, as well as Interstate 93. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (T) buses stop on many of the neighborhood streets, and Chelsea’s commuter rail station is under 1 mile away. Travelers can reach Boston Logan International Airport in under 15 minutes via a 5-mile drive down Route 1A. Major health care centers and smaller practices are available in Chelsea and the surrounding towns of Everett and Revere, though Mass General Hospital sits only about 5 miles southwest.

Everybody likes a comeback story. Chelsea may have suffered two transformative fires in the 20th century, but through determination, residents changed the structure of local governance and now enjoy an urban neighborhood with wider lanes and more breathing room between buildings. Katherine Kranenburg, a licensed real estate agent with William Raveis, notes that “Chelsea is an architectural goldmine full of Bostonian charm and character.” Plus, it’s just across the Mystic River from Boston, providing residents with an easy commute. Another appeal of Chelsea is that it features a wide range of prices. Homebuyers can start their search in the low $300,000s and extend upwards into the $800,000s. At the entry point of the market, searchers are likely to find two-bedroom condos. As prices increase, larger multi-family homes pop into view, ideal for those looking to buy an investment property. But perhaps what’s most characteristic of Chelsea is a pop of color here and there, whether that’s a pale blue Cape Cod-style home or a vibrant mural on a brick wall. Yards aren’t the norm in Chelsea, but there are plenty of tree-lined streets, and the abundant sidewalks make it pedestrian friendly. At six blocks wide, it’s hard to get lost in this neighborhood laid out like a grid. Small businesses contribute to the self-contained feel of Chelsea, whether that’s a locally owned gym or eatery. Places like Victoria’s Diner are true neighborhood institutions: open since 1949, this is the spot for comfort food such as breakfast burritos. Chelsea Station is like a modern take on the old-school diner concept, giving a sense of cohesion to the dining scene here. Inside a former firehouse, visitors will find a rustic setting with wooden booths and a large bar. Tacos, burgers and wings line the menu. Pan Y Café is just as its name says: come here for baked goods and a coffee or a juicy smoothie – as well as a sense of community. Even the larger commercial spots hold the neighborhood together. Mystic Mall is full of convenient stops, including a big Market Basket supermarket. Berkowitz Elementary enrolls over 450 students in grades K through 3, and maintains a 12 to 1 student-teacher ratio. Niche gives the school a B-minus in the teachers category. Clark Avenue Middle enrolls over 700, but it too receives the same score for teaching. Chelsea High has over 1,500 students enrolled, but manages to score even higher, with a B-plus in teaching. The school expanded in 2002 to accommodate the large student population, adding a second gymnasium and a new wing. Despite the strong urban feel of Chelsea, parks are still a prominent feature of daily life. Eden Street Park is a draw for kids: centered on a playground, it also offers plenty of shade trees and stretches of grass to relax on. Judie Dyer Park is another playground space integrated with a residential strip and with Anita’s Garden, a community garden that’s kid-friendly. Chelsea is surrounded by transportation options. Washington Avenue wraps around the north and east end, offering bus service throughout. Route 1 wraps around the south and west end, putting downtown Boston a mere 4 miles away – residents will cross the Tobin Memorial Bridge to enter the city. There’s also the Chelsea train station, located next to the Mystic Mall.