With a bike score of 68, Beantown,  MA came in with the fourth-best Walk Score rating, and for good reason.  Boston has a huge network of dedicated bike lanes and paths  that run all over the former Puritan colony.

Located in a prime, bike-friendly part of the city, this brick and beam condo  at the Union Wharf is well suited for pedal-pushers. Adding to  the $1.3 million home’s appeal is a private balcony that looks over the  harbor, maple flooring, and a spacious master suite.

Read more: Bike, Bike, Bike: Bike Score Homes for National Bike to Work Day (PHOTOS) | REALTOR.com® Blogs

A Gasoline Tanker On Waterfront Streets - image courtesy of NorthEndWaterfront.com

After many years of complaints, appeals, and petitions from local residents and businesses, state government has overturned a 2009 decision to allow HazMat trucks without Boston destinations free use of city roadways. Banned from city streets in 2005 after the opening of the Big Dig and the removal of the elevated expressway, the trucking lobby was able to get the ban overturned in 2009 citing revenue loss due to the added time and expense of routing commercial traffic around the city on Route 128. Trucks carrying hazardous materials are not allowed in any city tunnels, which forced drivers onto the main roads of the city in order to resume travel on I-93.

Trucks which have legitimate business to do in the city are still allowed to do so; using the city as a shortcut, however, is expressly prohibited. The simplest route around the tunnels, if one were to follow the now underground expressway route, is on the surface roads bounding the Rose Kennedy Greenway. Traveling through the heart of the revitalized Waterfront, HazMat trucks pose a serious threat to the safety of the surrounding area, as incidents like last summer’s massive explosion on Route 1 in Saugus illustrated. Local residents and business owners, among them Carmela Laurella and Vito Ascolillo of CL Waterfront Properties, stated as much in a petition which ultimately swayed MassDOT to uphold the daytime HazMat trucking ban.

This move came as wonderful news to those concerned with the safety of the city; gasoline tankers using Waterfront streets to cut through town passed by hundreds of businesses, schools, and residences on their way to their end destinations. Hazmat trucking is still allowed at night, although locals are working hard to end that practice as well. State signage will announce the new route around the city for one month, with the regulation going into effect June 13th. To find out more about the positive impact this will have on Boston’s Waterfront, or to learn Boston Waterfront homes, contact the local experts at CL Waterfront Properties today.

Clean, Safe Waters Now Border This Historic Neighborhood

Boston’s Waterfront district was once little more than a barrier between the financial hub of the city and the famously, shamefully dirty water of the Harbor. The elevated expressway, referred to by Mayor Menino as “Boston’s other Green Monster” and a notable emblem of the former state of the city’s urban infrastructure, has given way to a picturesque, verdant promenade, the Rose Kennedy Greenway. Plantings revealed at the groundbreaking ceremony in 2008 are now beginning to mature and shade the walkways and benches of the Greenway, and various initiatives have brought road and foot traffic right to the water’s edge – revealing a startling transformation.

The Waterfront today stands as a shining example of progressive development and positive local government influence. The neighborhood is now brimming with activity, from pedestrians and bicyclists enjoying the 47 miles of shoreline on the easily accessible HarborWalk to new construction reaching for the sky from such formerly unlikely places as South Boston. There are even plans to operate a water taxi from East Boston’s Maverick Square to Fan Pier in the Waterfront, which would make East Boston a viable and attractive location for those in search of an easy commute downtown.

Tireless effort by advocacy groups such as the Boston Harbor Association have finally transformed what was in recent memory little more than an eyesore into a residential and commercial district flush with opportunity. The harbor itself was even recently referred to by the EPA as a “great American jewel” – a far cry from the dark days of pollution and neglect, and a source of much pride for those who have dedicated their lives to revitalizing this quintessentially American landmark.

Stop by the Waterfront at any given time and you will be treated to visions of locals and tourists alike strolling the sprawling HarborWalk and enjoying a picnic on the Greenway – to those who have witnessed the transformation at hand, it’s a refreshing sight to behold. To find out more about our neighborhood and the many reasons to visit or call Boston’s Waterfront home, contact the local experts at CL Waterfront Properties today.

Gigia and Antonio from Sysco Boston - image courtesy of www.northendwaterfront.com

The 18th annual  Taste of the North End food festival, held Friday, May 4, at the Steriti Rink on Commercial Street, was by all accounts a resounding success. Over 500 hungry visitors enjoyed cuisine from more than 35 North End eateries, showcasing myriad appetizers, cheese plates, main courses, and desserts – not to mention ample libations from local wine and beer vendors. There was also a silent auction featuring hotel and restaurant packages, tickets to Boston sporting events, and North End memorabilia.

Started in 1993 by Donato Frattaroli, Taste of the North End brings a feast of world famous North End cuisine – all donated by our generous neighboring restaurants – to the masses. Proceeds benefit North End Waterfront Health as well as other local charities for children and seniors.

To find out more about the many community activities and attractions that make the North End an amazing place to call home – or to find your new home in Boston’s North End, contact the local real estate experts at CL Waterfront Properties today.

Flash Forward Festival Returns To Boston

From June 7th to June 10th of this year, the Fairmont Battery Wharf hotel will again play host to The Magenta Foundation’s annual Flash Forward Festival, a celebration of international works of photography from emerging artists. Following its 2011 debut, this year’s festival now includes gallery shows and public art installations in the Boston Waterfront and beyond.

Visitors will have the opportunity to network with important industry personalities, artists, content developers and patrons, as well as to enjoy public art while learning how to achieve commercial success as a photographer.  Whether you are a novice or established photographer, a professional in the art world, or simply a lover of photography, this festival experience is not to be missed.

This four-day event also kicks off exhibitions on the Harborwalk and Rose Kennedy Greenway, to continue through the summer. For a full list of exhibitions, events, and festival programming, visit www.flashforwardfestival.com. To find out more about living in the Waterfront, residences at Battery Wharf, and more, contact the Waterfront experts at CL Waterfront Properties today.

If you would like to learn more about Constellation Wharf, contact our offices today!

The Archway At The Boston Harbor Hotel

The Boston Harbor Hotel, a fixture of Rowe’s Wharf and the architectural symbol of our city’s gateway to the sea, hosts an annual outdoor summer movie series for the entertainment of their patrons, guests, and locals alike. The hotel presents Movies By Moonlight each year as a fun and relaxing way to bring Waterfront residents and visitors alike together for some outdoor enjoyment on the water. An outdoor screen, set up on the side of the large gazebo adjoining the Intrigue Cafe on the water side of the hotel, plays classic films hand-picked by hotel staff.

You can view the 2012 summer film series schedule here at northendwaterfront.com – this year’s selections include local favorite Jaws and, appropriately enough, On The Waterfront. To find out more about this and other great summer entertainment in Boston’s Waterfront, or to find your own Boston Waterfront real estate, contact the local experts at CL Waterfront Properties today.

Boston's thriving Waterfront neighborhood

Boston’s Waterfront district has evolved greatly since the demolition of the elevated Central Artery and the opening of the Rose Kennedy Greenway. The area now boasts a large number of small businesses, clean public spaces, amazing luxury condos, and even Boston Harbor waters clean enough for swimming. For many locals, however, the Waterfront remains unexplored. How to draw a crowd? That is the aim of a group of nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and local business owners behind a campaign labeled “Summer on the Waterfront: Eat, Splash, Shop, Learn.’’ Backed by a $100K+ marketing campaign, it will be formally revealed on June 1, with a kickoff ceremony to be held June 2 on the Greenway. The campaign will run through Labor Day in efforts to boost Waterfront tourism and gain exposure for the many new local businesses that call the Boston Waterfront home.

Along with a special campaign website (www.summeronthewaterfront.org) and a full roster of events, it will feature outdoor concerts, historic and architectural tours, and the opening of two new Waterfront visitor centers, in Faneuil Hall and on Peddocks Island in Boston Harbor. Educational programs and family-oriented activities, from harbor island day trips to scavenger hunts, will highlight Boston’s storied history. To find out more about this campaign, the many attractions that make the Waterfront a great place to call home, or one of the fantastic Waterfront condos Boston has to offer, contact CL Waterfront Properties today.

To learn more about this exquisite Boston waterfront property, check out our exclusive youtube video below!

An interested bidder at TBHA's annual auction. Image credit: www.northendwaterfront.com

Donations and Bids Support Local Charities And Community Improvement

The 19th Annual Boston Harbor Celebration & Auction to benefit TBHA’s Harbor Advocacy efforts and Harbor Education programs for Boston area youths was held on Monday, April 23, 2012 at the Boston Harbor Hotel.

The event was a great success, raising money for the Harbor Association with plentiful bidding throughout the night. Residents and business owners from all around the North End and Waterfront were in attendance, and local businesses including Legal Seafoods catered the event. Many people came from around the city and beyond to support the prosperity of the burgeoning Waterfront District of Boston.

To find out more about this and all of the other unique events that make the Waterfront such a wonderful place to call home (or to find your own Boston Waterfront condo), contact the local experts at CL Waterfront Properties today.