Lawrence

Once an industrial community near the banks of the Merrimack River, Mount Vernon is now a residential haven in Lawrence that nearly 6,800 people call home. “It’s very family-oriented,” says Realtor Jefri Liriano, head of the Liriano Team with Keller Williams, who grew up in Lawrence. “I still go there for trick-or-treating every Halloween.” He describes it as the kind of neighborhood where kids leave their bikes in the yard while they play together. Locals spend the afternoon at Mount Vernon Park and cross the river to enjoy dinner at one of the local restaurants in the city. It is about a 27-mile drive to Boston. Oak trees and sidewalks line the hilly streets of Mount Vernon. “Everyone takes really good care of their properties,” says Liriano. “That’s reflected in the yards.” Many residents have decorated their manicured lawns with lush green shrubs and blossoming gardens. There are a variety of homes, ranging from early 20th-century Colonial Revivals and Foursquares to ranch styles and Cape Cods built in the mid-20th century. Several properties come with solar panels. Prices typically range from $475,000 to $625,000, with homes along Mount Vernon making up the more expensive properties. There are some condos in the neighborhood, with a two-bedroom costing around $250,000 to $275,000. A few locally owned restaurants can be found in Mount Vernon, including Jim’s Original Subs and Pizza, known for its thin-crust pies, and Cavallo Restaurant, which serves Dominican food. There are many more options in downtown Lawrence, across the Merrimack River. El Vago Cantina is a Mexican restaurant in the area, and Liriano recommends Vaka, which serves a fusion of Dominican and Japanese dishes. The closest grocery store is Market Basket, and residents can find fresh produce at the Groundwork Farmers Market, held every Wednesday and Saturday from June to October. Target, Walmart and Home Depot are all within 5 miles. While Lawrence only has a handful of events throughout the year, there is one that sticks out in Liriano’s mind: Semana Hispana, or Hispanic Week. “When I was growing up, everyone was looking forward to Hispanic Week,” he says. The event started in 1979 after Isabel Melendez attended the Puerto Rican Festival in Boston and wanted a space for all Latin American countries to express their cultures and folklore. Today, the program includes live music, food, and fair rides that anyone can enjoy. Lawrence Public Schools serve the community. Frost Elementary School teaches kindergarten through fourth grade, while Frost Middle School offers fifth through eighth grade; both schools receive a C from Niche. Lawrence High School, which earns a B-minus, is split into different academies. The “Lower” Academies are for ninth and 10th grade and are focused on transitioning into high school and developing academic skills, while the “Upper” Academies encompass 11th and 12th grade. These prepare students for life after graduation through internships, Early College classes through North Essex Community College and Merrimack College and capstone projects. The Abbott Lawrence Academy is an admissions-based academy within Lawrence High that offers a more advanced course load. Mount Vernon Park sits at the center of the neighborhood, with a baseball field and playground for kids to run around. “I went to high school in Lawrence, and I remember going to the park to play basketball after school,” Liriano says. The nearby Den Rock Park is 120 acres of forest that offers residents an escape from city life, with four trails where they can hike among the oak and pine trees while keeping an eye out for herons and woodchucks. Just across the river is the Lawrence Public Library, where patrons can check out books or attend movie nights, craft classes and book clubs. Members of the Andover Country Club can golf at the 18-hole championship golf course. With most people relying on their cars, Interstate 495 makes the commute to Boston easy. The Merrimack Valley Transit has several bus stops along Mount Vernon Street. The Boston Logan International Airport is about 30 miles away, and the closest emergency room is at the Lawrence General Hospital, about 5 miles away.

South Lawrence is an enclave whose character is derived from its makeup. The area’s dense organization of homes paves the way for connections between residents. It’s the type of place where people who live near each other connect to enjoy music and where their kids play outside together, says local Realtor Daysi Quiles, of Keller Williams Realty. “It’s just neighborly,” Quiles says. Lawrence in general is a city that is experiencing growth, with a convenient location and housing prices much less than those found just south in Boston. And South Lawrence is a section of town that seems to grab people in particular. “South Lawrence is very nice. South Lawrence has its charm,” Quiles says. “Something about it feels attractive and people don’t want to leave.” The neighborhood features a predominance of multifamily homes, many of them built between the late 19th century and the early 20th century, with Victorian and colonial styling. There are also some mid-20th century Cape Cod-style single-family homes in South Lawrence. Single-family residences in the area sell for around $400,000 to $600,000. Multi-family options typically go for roughly $750,000 to $800,000. South Lawrence contains multiple schools, including one that registers as one of the largest in all of Massachusetts: the 565,000-square-foot Lawrence High School, which houses more than 3,000 students. The expansive campus features the Abbott Lawrence Academy, an exclusive honors high school program that blends challenging college preparatory coursework with community service work. Lawrence high earns a B-minus on Niche. North Andover Middle School also picks up a B-minus. Nearby South Lawrence East Elementary School gets a C-minus. Not only is South Lawrence dense with residences, but also with businesses. A network of sidewalks all around the area provide residents with convenient access to those businesses, too. A main commercial thoroughfare in South Lawrence is South Union Street, a strip full of good food options. One of the standouts here is Mamajuana Restaurant & Lounge, for top-notch Latin Caribbean fare. The mofongo is among the highlights at Mamajuana. Another spot to stop by, just down the street, is Hayes Tavern, which proudly proclaims to have the coldest beer in town. Hayes also serves food, and counts Taco Tuesday among its promotions. There’s a section of South Union Street, between Andover Street and Boxford Street, that includes a couple of different grocery stores. V&V Market & Restaurant is a Latino grocery known in part for its fresh assortment of goods. Saigon Market is an Asian grocery with a wide selection of products and authentic ingredients that are difficult to find elsewhere. South Lawrence’s dense makeup doesn't sacrifice the inclusion of multiple green spaces, for quality outdoor time. One of the biggest recreational attractions, bordering a portion of South Union Street, is O'Connell South Common, an almost 12-acre tract packed with everything from a street hockey rink to volleyball courts. “Kids go over there and play, and people go there to relax,” Quiles says. Another option, slightly southeast of O’Connell South Common, is Costello Park, a smaller facility that borders a piece of the Shawsheen River. In addition to a playground and basketball court, Costello Park features an entry point to the half-mile Shawsheen River Trail. North on South Union Street is home to one of South Lawrence’s most important assets: the Senator Patricia McGovern Transportation Center. The center is a hub within the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s commuter rail system, offering Lawrence residents service south to Boston. The McGovern Center is complete with a 400-space parking deck. South Lawrence also borders a portion of Interstate 495, which provides Lawrence with a quick connection to Interstate 93 for drives south to Boston, just less than 30 miles away.