What was once dubbed the “ugly duckling” of Commonwealth Avenue has gotten quite the makeover. And it comes with a $22.5 million price tag.
Developers gutted the mid-century, 11-unit apartment building at 18 Commonwealth Ave. in Back Bay and transformed it into a six-story single-family home, restoring its exterior to blend in with the surrounding brownstones.
Now, the five-bedroom, eight-bathroom house known as the Ward Mansion is on the market.
“It came out absolutely incredible,” said Joshua Stephens, vice president at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Warren Residential and one of the Realtors representing the property.
“The beauty of this property is it looks like it was always there,” Stephens continued. “That was our goal.”
Located on the first block of Commonwealth Avenue, just steps from the Boston Public Garden, the roughly 8,100-square-foot home offers six elevator-served levels of luxury living. Inside, the home features custom millwork, quarter-sawn white oak floors, ornamental ironwork, and marble finishes.
There are formal living and dining rooms, a private library, and multiple fireplaces. The full-floor primary suite includes two dressing rooms and a marble bathroom with a steam shower.
Other amenities include an au pair suite, a top-floor lounge with a kitchenette and wine storage, and a private roof deck with an outdoor kitchen and skyline views.
And in a neighborhood where parking is hard to come by, the property has a two-car garage and two additional parking spaces.
According to Boston assessing records, developers Lourenco Carminati and Eagle Hill Capital purchased the building in September 2024 for $7.85 million.
Boston Modern Design and Amber Wilhelmina Design & Interiors worked on the home’s transformation. Stephens and Tracy Campion, founder of Campion and Company, are marketing the property.
Although the building dates back to 1864, previous renovations had stripped away its original historic details, Stephens said. That left the developers with little to preserve, but they still wanted to bring back the character of a traditional Back Bay home.
They incorporated details such as triple-crown molding while adding the modern amenities today’s luxury buyers expect.
“They’re modern, but they’re also timeless, and they’re representative of what it would be like if it was new back in the early 1900s,” Stephens said.
“It’s a beautiful historic home, but it’s designed to be lived in, not just admired,” he added.
The property hit the market Tuesday, but Stephens said prospective buyers had already toured the home during private showings.
And while the home’s extensive renovation sets it apart, Stephens said its location might be its biggest selling point.
“I think the fact that it’s an irreplaceable first block, it’s the first single-family on the even side of the street. That’s as notable an address as you can really get.”