On the Market: A Stylish Condo in a Former Lobster Freezing Facility

Though the Somerville space no longer functions as a cold storage facility, it is most definitely cool.


somerville condo in a former cold storage faciity

Photo via Berkeley/photo by Jared Kuzia

9 Medford St. #502, Somerville
Price: $664,000
Size: 865 square feet
Bedrooms: 1
Baths: 1

When the sidewalk heats up, the AC clicks on, and the ocean becomes swimmable, we start craving a food we probably haven’t thought about all winter long: the lobster roll. Discussions over the crustacean concoction can grow controversial—butter, mayo, bun, what are the correct proportions, who has the best rolls, are they all overrated? While we care about where the lobster ends up, we seldom wonder where it was stashed before it arrived on our plates.

Well, these chic new condos are the unlikely answer to the question none of us were asking. Built as a cold storage facility in 1916, this building kept perishables chilled before delivery to local restaurants. In addition to meat and vegetables, the facility housed a lot of lobster—roughly $5 million worth of the shellfish on any given day.

Nowadays, there’s nothing fishy about the eight-story building, which has been reimagined into a hundred chic condos. Though the structure was stripped down to the studs and outfitted with all new systems, original details such as concrete floors and columns and industrial ductwork call back to the unit’s origin. New minimalist design choices maintain clean lines throughout the unit: cabinetry with unseen hardware, sleek stainless appliances, quartz countertops, a glass tile backsplash. Ten-foot ceilings and huge windows also create a cool atmosphere in this lofty home.

The building’s converted common spaces offer plenty of nifty features, too. A shared roof deck, a pet-grooming station, conference rooms, and a fitness center with Peloton bikes are a few of the amenities the residence boasts, plus an ideal location right near the Somerville-Cambridge border just outside of Union Square.

For information, contact Michelle Faust, The Collaborative Companies, metro9condos.com

Photo by Jared Kuzia

Photo by Jared Kuzia

Photo by Jared Kuzia

Photo by Jared Kuzia

Photo by Jared Kuzia

Photo by Jared Kuzia

The Boston Home team has curated a list of the best home design and home remodeling professionals in Boston, including architects, builders, kitchen and bath experts, lighting designers, and more. Get the help you need with FindIt/Boston's guide to home renovation pros.