Eastie a Great Place to Live, but We Already Know That

Boston Magazine has named East Boston one of the ‘Best Places to Live’ in its March 2012 issue. In this month’s issue, Boston Magazine said Eastie made the list because it is an adventurous eater’s paradise with an affordable housing stock and the promise of waterfront development.

Using the chef from the North End’s Neptune Oyster House, Michael Serpa, as an example of the newcomers that are flocking to Eastie, Boston Magazine explains that Serpa and his wife moved here nearly three years ago and bought a two-family in Orient Heights for $340,000.

“Two and a half years later, he couldn’t be happier with the choice,” said the magazine. “Besides the eight-minute commute to downtown through the old harbor tunnels, Serpa and his wife, Lina Velez, love Eastie for its inexpensive global comfort food like Peruvian ceviche, Colombian tongue stew, and Salvadoran pupusas.

The article goes on to describe the Mexican fare at Angela’s Café as legendary and Mayor Thomas Menino’s recent announcement of directing the city to help spark development on Eastie’s waterfront.

The article also points out that Eastie’s median home price has increased 7 percent in one-year with the average set at $227,500.

“I think the magazine said what we’ve know all along,” said City Councilor Sal LaMattina. “East Boston is a safe, vibrant community with great architecture, great food and a spectacular waterfront view of Boston that can be seen from prestigious parks like Piers Park.”

State Senator Anthony Petruccelli commented that Boston Magazine has shown once again that Eastie is on the map as the city’s next up and coming neighborhood.

“The quality of our restaurants, our parks, its proximity to downtown are all part of a recipe that has made East Boston more attractive over the past decade,” said Petruccelli.

State Representative Carlo Basile said that each newcomer he meets at first was skeptical about moving to the neighborhood because they knew little about it.

“I meet people everyday that only came to East Boston because they had to go to the airport,” said Basile. “These are the same people that have stayed, opened businesses and are contributing to making East Boston a great neighborhood.”

To come up with its list of Best Places to Live, Boston Magazine consulted real estate agents, residents, and town officials to find the most interesting opportunities within the I-495 loop, logging close to 600 miles along the way.

“For some, it’s a prestige ZIP code or top schools. For others, it’s a sense of community or abundant green space. Whatever you’re looking for, now is a good time to take a calculated risk and make a move,” says Warren Group CEO Timothy Warren Jr.

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