South Boston’s West Side story

South Boston is booming, with more than 1,300 apartments and condos just coming online, under construction or in the pipeline.

But one area of the neighborhood that's seeing especially dense development is a former light industrial district along West 1st and West 2nd streets on the West Side. Filled with many ramshackle buildings, the recently rezoned area is only a few blocks from the main retail district along West Broadway that has lots of new restaurants and a Foodies supermarket.

In the other direction, this up-and-coming corridor is a half-mile to Summer Street in the booming Seaport, along a no-man's-land stretch of D Street that is seeing new residential units and two new mid-sized hotels to serve the nearby convention hall.

We took a look at one of the largest buildings in this area, the just-opened 255-unit West Square apartment complex that occupies a huge site, 2A acres along West 1st and West 2nd streets between C and D streets.

West Square may only be a four-story building, but its amenities rival those in new apartment towers such as Waterside Place and 315 on A in the Seaport. The lobby common spaces at West Square look like a boutique hotel, with a 24/7 concierge, an entertainment lounge with a two-sided gas fireplace, a breakfast bar with free coffee and snacks, an Internet lounge, a large fitness facility and a wood-floored motion studio.

The stylish apartments have condo quality finishes, including white quartz counter­tops, white thermofoil cabinets and high-end faucets, with wide-plank hardwood floors throughout.

The difference between this building and its Seaport competitors is that the apartments are less expensive than the high rises, with studios starting at $2,200, one bedrooms at $2,400 and two bedrooms for $3,400.

In just a few weeks, West Square has already signed 50 leases.

"We're getting a good response to the apartment finishes and the amenities at our price point," said West Square business manager Kathy McCarthy. "Potential renters coming here have done their homework and compared us with the competition. We have a great product for a great price."

The large West Square site offers advantages, such as two landscaped interior courtyards for renters wanting less of a city edge, and garage parking is above grade, allowing residents to park on the same floor as their apartments — albeit for an additional $175 a month.

"We're seeing a lot of young professionals who work in the area and 
empty-nesters who want to be in the city but away from the main action," said John Noone, a local partner for West Square developer Lincoln Property. "A lot of people who signed up here were renting in Southie already but are looking to go from a walk-up to a full-service building."

Melissa Malamut, an editor in her 30s, just moved into a one-bedroom in West Square from a studio in Fort Point.

"I wanted to be further into Southie where you can walk to a grocery store and other shops just two blocks away," said Malamut, who says she is impressed by the high level of detail and finishes at West Square. "The building is just beautiful and this area feels more like a residential neighborhood than the Seaport does."

While most of the nearby buildings are still under construction or in the pipeline, Westside Crossing — across the street from West Square — is almost ready to go, and it has already rented 11 of its 24 units.

"We don't have a doorman or fancy common spaces like West Square, which is gorgeous, but we have a high level of finishes in our apartments, full balconies and each unit includes a garage space at no extra charge," said Michael Sylvia, founder/owner of Terrier Residential, which sold the property to the developer and is handling leasing. "There are people who prefer to live in smaller buildings that are also being built here."

The end result of all this development is the stitching up of the West Side and the Seaport District.

Nipping at West Square's heels is the 197-unit Flats on D, a luxury building on D Street, but Noone is confident West Square will lease up before the Flats open.

"Buildings with top-notch architecture and amenities are going to lease up quickly," Noone said. "And this area is coming up fast. In five to seven years, you won't recognize it."

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