Above is the first peek into The Element, courtesy of Chelsea-based firm The Architectural Team. The Element was the first building completed in Allston's so-called Green District, a roughly two-block area between Commonwealth Avenue and Brainerd Road due to brim with environmentally friendly developments.
The Element, at 65 Brainerd Road, leased up pretty damn quickly when it opened last summer (70 units out of 100 spoken for by July). Rents range from studios for $1,750 to one-bedrooms for $1,950 to two-bedrooms for $2,450. The building at large, developed by the Mount Vernon Company, has a movie lounge; a fitness center; bike storage; and greenery covering the rooftop, which can be a natural temperature control for the building below it.
Lest you think it's all movies and greenery, though, know this: Tenants must abide by a "Green Tenant Declaration," which is exactly what it sounds like: a commitment to recycle, watch energy/water use, and take the T as often as possible.
· Allston's Green District to Run Partly on Shame [Curbed Boston]
· Our Mind-Boggling Reveals archive [Curbed Boston]