Longtime Charlestown developer George Georges was no stranger to Old Sully’s pub on the corner of Lynde and Union streets – having been introduced to the neighborhood institution shortly after coming to the Town decades ago.
So it was very fitting when he assumed ownership of the old pub after it closed down last year, and the Sullivan family got rid of their licenses and called it quits after so many years.
Having a previous relationship with the Sullivans, Georges was a natural fit to carefully and tastefully redevelop the site into a residential property.
“It has been a long process, but it’s a nice project and a meaningful project to me because I used to go into Old Sully’s all the time and I enjoyed it there,” he said late last week. “I used to go on a Saturday after I was done with work and have a cheeseburger and a beer and read the newspaper. It was a great place, and I was introduced to a lot of Charlestown people there. It’s going to be a nice project.”
The Sullivans had sold other property to Georges for redevelopment in the past, most notably lots across from Old Sully’s on Washington Street that he developed into traditional homes that match the feel of the rest of the Town.
Now, with this project, he will be doing something that looks a little more modern, he said.
The plan is to have three, two-bedroom condos, with the top floor having a roof deck. There will be one parking space.
He said the neighbors have been great to work with, and Charlestown resident Linda Nashampkin of Monument Square Design has done the architectural piece. Nashampkin is the wife of the late Jack French, who designed numerous buildings in Charlestown, including his last project, The Charlestown Armory redevelopment.
Georges said they have gone through all the reviews at the City, and a design review at the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) called for a more modern look.
“It will be very contemporary,” he said.
The construction has been a bit difficult, however, due to the fact that the building was heavily damaged years ago during the Potato Shed fires of May 1962. While many other homes were burnt to the ground during those fire, Old Sully’s was spared. It didn’t come without a cost though, and Georges said they have been righting those issues throughout the construction – including putting the second floor back on top as it had been before that fire.
“We’ve had to do a lot of work inside,” he said. “The Potato Sheds fire really did major damage. They put it back together, but it wasn’t the same…It’s been a challenging project because of the condition of the building…The hardest part is what we’re doing right now. Once we get the frame up, things will be easier. To me, this is always the hardest part. We’ve done a few of these here, so we have an idea of what to expect.”