• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

  • Advertise
  • Contribute
  • Eat
  • Wellesley Square
  • School
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Embracing diversity
  • Charities/Community
  • Arts
  • Camp
  • Kids
  • Events
  • About us
  • Subscribe
  • Natick Report
  • COVID-19
  • Letters to the Editor
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Boston Sports Institute, Wellesley

Wellesley homes, up and down

June 22, 2015 by Deborah Brown 11 Comments

Here’s a before and after look at some homes that have been razed and have risen in the past couple of years. Generally speaking, homes in town that are priced under $500,000 — and there are precious few of them — are likely to be torn down and replaced with new homes that offer all the modern conveniences. As you can see, even if a home falls in the million plus range, there is no guarantee that it will remain standing. A phrase heard frequently around town: “My house is such a teardown.” Expressed when one is speculating about one’s own home’s chances for survival when it one day goes on the market.

100 Dearborn St., before, sold in 2013 for $475,000:
100 Dearborn St., Wellesley MA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

100 Dearborn St., after, currently on the market for $1,799,999:
Real.estate.100.dearborn.st

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8 Mansfield Rd., before, sold in 2014 for $512,500:

Real.estate.8.Mansfield.Rd
8 Mansfield Rd., after, currently on the market for $1,549,000:
Real.estate.8.Mansfield.Rd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 Pinevale Ave, before, sold in 2014 for $670,000:
7 Pinevale Ave, Wellesley, MA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 Pinevale Ave., after, currently on the market for $1,595,000:
7 Pinevale Ave, Wellesley MA

 

1 Hickory Rd., before, sold in 2014 for $675,000:
1 Hickory Rd., Wellesley MA

 

1 Hickory Rd., after, currently on the market for $1,774,900:
Real.estate.1.Hickory.Rd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

31 Priscilla Circle, before, sold in 2014 for $915,000:
Real.estate.31.Priscilla.Circle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

31 Priscilla Circle, after, currently on the market for $2,289,000:
Real.estate.31.Priscilla.Circle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

61 Lincoln Rd., before, sold in 2013 for $1,363,000:
61 Lincoln Rd, before pic

61 Lincoln Rd., after, currently on the market for $4,450,000:
61 Lincoln Rd.

print

Share

Filed Under: Construction, Houses

Comments

  1. For Smart Growth says

    June 29, 2015 at 9:44 am

    I applaud The Swellesley Report’s continuing coverage of this trend. These new homes are being built to maximum set backs and height, dwarfing adjacent homes which lose sun, privacy and property value. Architectural plans are “off the shelf,” if there are any at all. The town is losing charming areas of tree lined streets, diversity of housing stock, and affordability for first time buyers. The only winner is the builder.

    Nearby towns such as Newton and Brookline are fighting back by pursuing moratoriums on tear downs, setting new zoning guidelines and creating historic areas and conservation districts which promote smart growth.

    Ticky tacky homes put up by spec builders are a scourge on Wellesley. Are we doing enough to protect our neighborhoods and our town?

    Reply
  2. TR says

    June 24, 2015 at 9:30 pm

    It appears from your pic of 31 Priscilla that the devlopers have not only torn down the old, but actually were able to shift the new home *into cyberspace!* I had no idea the Wellesley housing scene was that advanced…

    Reply
  3. Anonymous says

    June 23, 2015 at 8:40 pm

    I don’t have a problem with teardowns per se – some houses have been neglected beyond repair or just aren’t special enough to save – but I do have a problem with the types of houses being built in their places. They are not true custom homes thoughtfully designed to fit their plots of land or blend in with their neighborhoods. They have no originality. They are cheap subdivision homes, erected not by or for homeowners themselves but by builders without interest in maintaining or furthering Wellesley’s beauty and charm. The architecture is generic and the materials are builder grade. And when the tasteless buyers move out in a year or two (as they all do), the rest of us are stuck looking at their immature landscapes.

    Reply
  4. Andrea says

    June 23, 2015 at 3:54 pm

    My grandparents built 71 Hundreds Road – in the 1920’s – Royal Barry Wills was the architect. After my grandfather died, the house was sold…in the ’60’s. In mid ’90’s, the people who had bought it from us – sold it for…dunno…around a million – AS A TEAR DOWN!!! Now two McMansions occupy the site.

    Reply
  5. Charles Whitcomb says

    June 23, 2015 at 2:40 pm

    Came to Wellesley in 1946. into a house that had been rented to my Grandfather for $25 a month when he arrived in 1914. I left Wellesley in 1993 or so and that house I lived in was on the market for a Million. What these real estate prices should tell you is simple…. the bubble cycle has not been eliminated. Wellesley is not and hasn’t been a stable town for 90 years. It is a transient town where people come, inflate prices, enjoy and then move on – either UP to higher paying locales or down if their industry implodes. That Million Dollar house I was brought to from the hospital as a baby has gone up and down in price many times – not by a few thousand but by Hundreds of Thousands. When a bubble bursts there are always people who get destroyed by it. And there will be people who can take advantage of it… it is amazing to look way back to the 1800s and realize Wellesley was a vacation destination for Bostonians and like other exclusive places it relies on that and has no way to change that… no more cottages, no more guest houses. Just giant mega mansions which exclude the vast majority of people. Still it is an amazing town – probably because of the 18-20% of people who stay for most of their lives as my family did. But it can’t sustain that if the bottom completely drops out because it isn’t fancy enough for the 0.01% – they like private islands and Monaco.

    Reply
  6. Wellesley resident says

    June 23, 2015 at 1:09 pm

    Not sure what the big deal is. We aren’t a static species. The one thing constant in life is change. These new homes are bringing lots of good people to Wellesley, and the higher property taxes are helping to pay for great schools and top-notch services that benefit all.

    Reply
    • Grew up in Wellesley says

      June 23, 2015 at 2:55 pm

      People who can afford 1.5 million plus homes are not necessarily “good” people. What makes them “good”? Their money? So many thousands of us grew up in those “tear downs” and it is heartbreaking to see them all gone and replaced by disgusting, overly-opulent mansions and ostentatious displays of wealth. Wellesley used to be old money, relaxed and comfortable. Now it’s disgusting.

      Reply
      • Wellesley resident says

        June 23, 2015 at 5:24 pm

        Enough of the passing judgement. I guess because I lived in a 30k home growing up and now through hard work and good choices in my life – along with solid parents – am fortunate to live in this great town.

        It’s the market. Period. Good or bad doesn’t really matter.

        Reply
      • MJ says

        June 24, 2015 at 6:26 pm

        Grew up in Wellesley— “What makes them “good”? Their money?”
        What makes them NOT good? Their money?

        I know many of those people you seem to think aren’t so good. They start charities to collect fresh food for food banks, work with Metco kids, house underprivileged kids so they can go to school in Wellesley, raise funds for Charter schools, homeless shelters… They weren’t all born rich. I think that’s better than “old” money— they EARNED it and they are raising polite, responsible, helpful kids.

        Reply
  7. Gaye T. Reichart says

    June 23, 2015 at 9:49 am

    Makes me wanna puke!!

    Reply
    • Karen H Thornquist says

      June 23, 2015 at 3:45 pm

      makes me wanna puke too Gaye Reichart…it’s sickening….Big Ugly Plastic boxes…that’s all they are….no charm…no personality……no character….Ugly!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Linden Square, Wellesley
Write Ahead

Tip us off…

Please send tips, photos, ideas to [email protected]
Wellesley Square ad
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Sexton test prep
Feldman Law
Fay School, Southborough
Wellesley Theatre Project
Admit Fit, Wellesley
image of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Never miss a post with our free daily Swellesley Report email
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide

You can subscribe for free, though we appreciate any contribution that supports our independent journalism.

Click here to read our Natick Report

Natick Report

Events Calendar

« January 2021 » loading...
S M T W T F S
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
Tue 26

Rum tasting and history talk

January 26 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Wed 27

Online history lecture: Petticoat Whalers

January 27 @ 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Thu 28

Banking on Our Value panel discussion

January 28 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Most Read Posts

  • "I Care a Lot" movie that filmed in Wellesley making Netflix debut
  • Wellesley Police log: Rocky relationship between neighbors; laptop goes missing from home; money gone from locker
  • Wellesley Business Buzz: More local businesses get state COVID-19 grants; $1M in penalties for car dealership firm; regional chamber touts Feb. 4 open house
  • Pinnacle Residential Properties: the concept of home & roots
  • Wellesley Business Buzz: Local restaurants get state grants; get or renew your Business Certificate

Pages

  • Wellesley coronavirus (COVID-19) updates
  • Wellesley’s 7 official scenic roads
  • Wellesley, Mass., fishing spots
  • Please support our advertisers—they support us
  • Embracing diversity in Wellesley
  • Wellesley, MA Police logs
  • Wellesley Choral Society
  • Wellesley College Notable Alumnae
  • Wellesley College, Wellesley, Mass.
  • Wellesley outdoor art gallery
  • Wellesley restaurants offering take-out and delivery
  • Wellesley, Massachusetts restaurant — Amarin of Thailand

Recent Comments

  • Bob Brown on Wellesley seeks designation as Housing Choice Community
  • Ann-Mara Lanza on Wellesley seeks designation as Housing Choice Community
  • Susanne Conover on Wellesley Health Dept. COVID-19 update: Talking vaccines, fielding complaints & working around the clock
  • Kourosh Farboodmanesh on Opinion: Massachusetts needs to introduce renewable energy programs in every town and city
  • devin on Wellesley Police log: Rocky relationship between neighbors; laptop goes missing from home; money gone from locker

Links we like

  • Great Runs
  • Jack Sanford: Wellesley's Major League Baseball Star
  • Taquitos.net
  • Tech-Tamer
  • The Wellesley Wine Press
  • Universal Hub
  • Wellesley Sports Discussion Facebook Group

Categories

  • 2021 Town Election (4)
  • Animals (377)
  • Antiques (48)
  • Art (534)
  • Beyond Wellesley (28)
  • Books (343)
  • Business (1,358)
  • Camp (1)
  • Careers/jobs (44)
  • Churches (72)
  • Clubs (207)
  • Construction (280)
  • Dump (113)
  • Education (2,880)
    • Babson College (239)
    • Bates Elementary School (14)
    • Dana Hall School (29)
    • Fiske Elementary School (6)
    • Hardy Elementary School (33)
    • Hunnewell Elementary School (34)
    • MassBay (47)
    • Schofield Elementary School (20)
    • Sprague Elementary School (19)
    • St. John School (1)
    • Tenacre Country Day School (9)
    • Upham Elementary School (30)
    • Wellesley College (598)
    • Wellesley High School (884)
    • Wellesley Middle School (195)
  • Embracing diversity (38)
  • Entertainment (722)
  • Environment (668)
  • Fashion (133)
  • Finance (13)
  • Fire (141)
  • Food (327)
  • Fundraising (559)
  • Gardens (136)
  • Government (386)
    • 2020 Town Election (47)
  • Health (737)
    • COVID-19 (134)
  • History (358)
  • Holidays (365)
  • Houses (118)
  • Humor (45)
  • Kids (814)
  • Law (3)
  • Letters to the Editor (6)
  • Media (63)
  • METCO (5)
  • Military (3)
  • Morses Pond (96)
  • Music (543)
  • Natick Report (27)
  • Neighbors (244)
  • Obituaries (58)
  • Outdoors (582)
  • Parenting (60)
  • Police (688)
    • Crime (345)
  • Politics (534)
  • Real estate (287)
  • Religion (127)
  • Restaurants (302)
  • Safety (142)
  • Scouts (1)
  • Senior citizens (107)
  • Shopping (121)
  • Sports (898)
  • STEM (104)
  • Technology (154)
  • Theatre (383)
  • Town Meeting (22)
  • Transportation (209)
  • Travel (11)
  • Uncategorized (1,205)
  • Volunteering (317)
  • Weather (161)
  • Wellesley Election 2019 (21)
  • Wellesley Free Library (258)
  • Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend (5)
RSS Feed Icon Subscribe to RSS Feed

© 2021 The Swellesley Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login