PLUM ISLAND – The character of residences on this 11-mile barrier island has been undergoing major change over the last decade. Once a popular vacation destination where people from all over the Northeast rented cottages to enjoy the beach.
Sunburned, hungry and thirsty, the beachgoers would gather at one of a handful of bars and restaurants, most notably the Plum Island Grille, where they watched the sun set over the Great Salt Marsh.
“The Plum Island Grille has a glorious past,” said Mark Friery, who once owned and operated the grille and now is selling the property probably as two spectacular condos that will have balconies and decks on three levels offering views not only of the marsh, but the Atlantic as well.
“For anyone serious about living on the island to find a place that has such spectacular views, it’s a dream come true,” Friery said.
The island is rapidly transitioning from a beach community to an urban village, said veteran Realtor Frank Bertolino with The North Shore Realty Group last week. Summer residents once knew only those who came with them. “Now, everybody knows everybody,” Bertolino said.
Approved plans for this 12,000-square-foot gateway lot, the Residences at 2 Sunset Blvd., is for two townhomes with a total of 4,100 square feet. Each home would have three bedrooms and 2.5 baths. Built on stilts to protect against flooding, the building, as designed, would have a Key West feel, but the architect Scott & Brown can make any changes a developer or builder choose.
To enjoy the sunset overlooking the marsh and the Merrimack River, the homes feature a 60-foot-long, 8-foot-wide front balcony, plus a rear, second-floor balcony off each master suite. And there is a covered 250-square-foot rooftop deck that provides a private view of the ocean.
On the first floor is an eat-in kitchen, living room, laundry, half bath and mud room. The master suite with a full bath is on the second floor and opens to the balcony where the owners can relax with a coffee or cocktail. The second floor in each home also has two more bedrooms, another full bath and a sitting room or office.
Now that mortgage rates are coming down, Bertolino said interest from builders and developers in this property, listed at $1,375,000, has been growing rapidly. Compared to other island listings, “This is a deal,” Friery said.
Particularly appealing is that Friery at his expense has secured approval from the town of Newbury, which saves a buyer both money and months of time.
Having those permits, “Anything is possible,” Bertolino said. It could be a made into a six-bedroom, five-bath single-family home or family compound on one of the region’s most popular beaches.
Or a developer can take on the project and sell each townhome for about $1.9 million, Bertolino said.
For those who pine for a restaurateur to restore the Plum Island Grille of old, it was not for lack of trying by Friery and Bertolino.
“We had restauranteurs here looking at the space from as far away as New York City,” Bertolino said.
But each prospect, after running the financials, concluded that the Grille could not be restored after the custom-made bars and interior was vandalized when the restaurant was closed.
The market for Plum Island restaurants has also changed. The popular Sunset Club was built on the site of an old gasoline station across the street. And nearby Newburyport offers an array of well-frequented restaurants.
For more information, contact
Bertolino at The North Shore Realty Group. •
