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Former Carey School to be Turned into Luxury Condos The former Carey School will soon be 13 luxury condo units. By MARK SCHIELDROP (Patch Staff)September 23, 2014 The former Carey School building, which closed in 2009 and was sold by the city in 2011, will soon be 13 luxury condos within walking distance to the Cliff Walk and Salve Regina. The 118-year-old building was erected at a time of rapid residential growth in Newport around the turn of the century. Now, located at 32 Carey Street between Bellevue Avenue and lower Thames Street, work is underway to convert classrooms into kitchens and bedrooms and the owners promise the completed project will reflect the city’s rich history. “Downtown Newport is rich with history,” said Colin O’Keeffe, co-owner of Boston-based Arch Street Development. “It’s important that the new Carey Street Condominiums reflect that.” This adaptive reuse project calls for a mix of one, two, and three bedroom units that will preserve the building’s original features. The building will offer two onsite parking spaces per unit. Arch Street also plans to create a shared terrace for residents to enjoy the city’s water views. The units are being marketed by Libby Kirwin Real Estate of Newport with prices starting in the high $300s and averaging at $450. “This is a great location for empty nesters who want to live in Newport or for those looking for a turnkey option for a seasonal getaway, O’Keeffe said. Arch Street hired Architect, Durkee Brown Viveiros Werenfels Architects; General Contractor, Behan Bros; site/excavating/paving contractor, J.A.M. Construction Company for construction services, and DiPrete Engineering; an engineering and land surveying firm that provided a boundary and topographic survey, and site engineering. DiPrete is currently providing construction oversight for site related activities. Together the team obtained approvals from the City of Newport Planning and Zoning Boards. “We’re currently supporting Durkee Brown with site and building integration,” said Kevin Demers, Senior Project Engineer at DiPrete Engineering. “We’re in the process of incorporating a new ramp at the entry to the school so it is readily accessible and usable by individuals with disabilities.” “This project is great for both Arch Street and the City,” said O’Keeffe. “We really enjoy re-purposing older buildings and are excited to return this one to its neighborhood.”
13 Condominiums Will Be Available At The Carey School October 15, 2014 | What’sUpNewp Lifestyle Crew | Newport, RI Ceasing operations as an elementary school just five years ago, The Carey School is turning a new leaf. Located on 32 Carey Street, just two blocks away from Newport’s iconic Bellevue Avenue, the property is undergoing extensive renovations to offer 13 condominiums in true turnkey fashion. At the helm of the re‐development is Boston‐ based Arch Street Development LLC, General Contractor Behan Brothers, Inc., engineering firm DiPrete Engineering, local construction company J.A.M. Construction and architect Durkee Brown Viveiros Werenfels Architects. Libby Kirwin Real Estate will market the entire project, in addition to offering design solutions throughout the renovation process, as part of Libby Kirwin Renovation and Design Consulting (“LKRDC”).
The first level of the building will be comprised of six condominium units, five two‐bedroom floor plans and one one‐bedroom floor plan. The second level will hold four two‐bedroom units and one unit with a generous floor plan offering three‐bedrooms within a single unit. Buyers can also opt for a penthouse unit. Two in total, the penthouse units will spoil even the most discerning eye with western Newport Harbor views. A modern rooftop terrace will welcome all residents to enjoy conversing and entertaining within a private urban oasis. Each floor will be accessible by an elevator.
Libby Kirwin, Principal Broker and Owner of Libby Kirwin Real Estate, is eager to share the final product with buyers and the community. In addition to her passion for real estate, she has had the opportunity to put her design stamp on The Carey School Residences. Libby has had great success with residential renovation projects on Aquidneck Island and the collaboration with Arch Street and Behan Brothers was a natural one. “The project will blend the Newport charm we all know and love with a sophisticated modern palette. The exterior has such a commanding presence, thus the interior must follow suite. I’ve chosen classic carrera marble and stones, industrial light pieces and gorgeous fixtures. We’re focused on thoughtful design, showcasing original architectural elements, while offering residents all the ease that comes with modern living in a historic landscape”, she says. Prospective buyers have the opportunity to select certain finishes, particularly in the initial phases of the renovation process (all design elements are subject to change at any time, as the project is still in development).
Units will be priced from the high $300s to high $800s for the penthouse units, with average square footage around 1300 sq. ft. Hardhat tours are given on‐site, but must be arranged in advance with Libby Kirwin Real Estate as the site is an active construction zone.
Carey School Residences - Newport These residences are rare and unique as modern, industrial condominium complexes typically do not exist in the historic seaside city of Newport. Breathing new air into an old building, Arch Street Development and Behan Construction have transitioned a former elementary school into a state-ofthe-art residential building complete with an elevator and roof top deck. Reclaiming original building elements wherever possible and bringing in new updated design- this project has proven to be one-of-a-kind. The Carey School Residences are located in Newport’s famous Fifth Ward neighborhood. The building is comprised of 13 units. The first level holds six units, a single one bedroom and five two bedroom residences. The second level holds four two bedroom units and one single expansive three bedroom units. The third level has two mirrored penthouse units and a common rooftop deck with gorgeous western Newport Harbor views. All units and deck are accessible from the basement to third level via elevator.
CAREY SCHOOL RESIDENCES
Client: Arch Street Development, LLC Location: Newport, RI Use: High End Condominiums Size: 30,000 s.f. Completed: 2015 Breathing new life into an historic building, DBVW Architects worked with Arch Street Development to transform a historic neighborhood elementary school into high end condominiums and common resident amenities. The Carey School Residences are located in Newport’s famous Fifth Ward neighborhood, only a short walk to the shops and restaurants of downtown and to the waterfront of Newport Harbor. The building consists of 13 residential units, including a single one-bedroom and five two-bedroom residences on the first floor, four two-bedroom units and one expansive three-bedroom unit on the second floor and two penthouse units built into the dormered attic space on the third floor with dramatic views over the rooftops of the neighborhood to the harbor beyond.. The common roof top deck, available to all residents, provides panoramic views of Newport Harbor and downtown Newport. Project objectives included preservation of an important historic neighborhood school through a complete interior and exterior renovation, transforming it into a new use that is compatible with its residential location. The design retains and reuses historic elements and preserves the historic character of the school, while introducing design elements and plans conducive to contemporary living.
A lost decade for R.I. condo sales Single-family and multifamily home sales are recovering, but not so condominiums, unless you live by the water. Tough lending standards are one key reason, say Realtors. May 23, 2015 By Mary MacDonald, PBN.COM "You're getting into the bathtub with multiple owners. You're all in it together," said Dowd. According to Lane, the stronger condo sales are in areas that are well-known, established second-home markets, including anything close to the water. This brings in another pool of prospective buyers: people looking at a condo as a second home rather than a primary residence. This is the market for the Carey School Residences in Newport, a former elementary school being renovated into modern, loft-style condominiums. The school is being renovated into 13 units. Half of the units have already been sold, according to Realtor Libby Kirwin, whose company, Libby Kirwin Real Estate Ltd., is listing the units. All of the sales to date have been cash-only sales, Kirwin said, and the buyers have come from locations including Boston, North Carolina, Texas and Connecticut. These are homeowners who are purchasing second homes, but the term downsizing implies size only, not amenities, for these properties. A unit Kirwin is now trying to sell, on the first floor, has a list price of $519,000, more than twice the median sale price for a Newport condo. In other areas of Newport, owners of condos that are not newly updated need to be realistic when selling, she said. To help move these kinds of units as a real estate agent, she began a sister business in 2012, one that focuses on renovations and upgrades for condos without quick buyers. Kirwin can provide a prospective buyer, looking at a dated condo, with a firm price for what an update would cost, and a contractor to do the work before the move-in date. "Everything that would make the buyer buy it," she said. The strategy has helped her sell condos that otherwise wouldn't have moved, she said. She used it to move a unit that had previously been on the market, under a different agent, for 565 days. Condo buyers aren't looking for a project, she noted. "A condo buyer is looking for simplicity," Kirwin said.
TIME TO BUY? Sarah Kirwin, center, a Realtor with LIbby Kirwin Real Estate, speaks with Tim Brown and Karen Kalil-Brown during an open house. PBN PHOTO/KATE WHITNEY LUCEY
GUIDED TOUR: Libby Kirwin Real Estate Realtor Rebecca Kane, right, greets, from left, Susan Winsor, Nathin Johnson, Amy Winsor, Mylee Santos, Jen Winsor and Abby Winsor at Carey School Residences condominiums in Newport.