Address Newsletter
Our weekly digest on buying, selling, and design, with expert advice and insider neighborhood knowledge.
Boston’s historic Back Bay neighborhood is known for its red-brick townhouses and elegant streetscapes, but nestled behind wrought-iron gates on Commonwealth Avenue stands a striking departure from tradition: the Commonwealth Sisters, a pair of stately limestone mansions.
One of these, owned by venture capital investor Kevin Starr, has hit the market for a whopping $29.9 million, marking Boston’s priciest home at the moment, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Constructed in the late 1800s, this architectural gem has undergone a transformation under Starr’s ownership, reflecting his bold personality and unique aesthetic preferences.
His asking price is more than double what he paid for the property just nine years ago.
Starr, co-founder of Third Rock Ventures — a biotech-focused fund — purchased the mansion in 2015 for $11.6 million and embarked on a multimillion-dollar renovation project with designer Eric Roseff.
The result is a 10,600-square-foot residence spanning five floors, boasting six bedrooms, five fireplaces, an elevator and a rooftop deck.
While the exterior exudes classic elegance, a glimpse through the front window reveals a surprising contrast: a neon sign declaring “Love is the Answer,” hinting at the vibrant and eclectic interior within.
The interior design is a testament to Starr’s penchant for bold colors, lush textures and a recurring motif of skulls, which hold personal significance for him as symbols of the circle of life. From the vivid cobalt and orange carpeting to the skull-shaped mosaic in the primary bathroom, every detail speaks to Starr’s distinctive taste.
“His vibe from the beginning was the feel of a boutique hotel,” Roseff told The Journal. “He likes a little bit of Miami thrown in, a little bit of Vegas thrown in.”
Visitors entering the foyer are greeted by checked quartz floors and dramatic black lacquered wood paneling, setting the tone for the rest of the house. The living room, adorned in shades of blue and illuminated by arched windows, exudes a retro-chic ambiance reminiscent of a 1970s lounge.
“We wanted it to have a real loungy vibe — like a 1970s coke-den vibe,” Roseff added, who described the room as having a “perpetual mood” to it. “It’s intoxicating, it’s inviting, it’s sexy.”
The primary suite, occupying an entire floor, offers luxury amenities including a ceiling-filling soaking tub, a shower with music and lighting systems, and a view into Starr’s extensive sneaker collection.
Throughout the house, original details blend seamlessly with modern upgrades, preserving its historic charm while catering to contemporary tastes.
Despite its opulent features, the mansion also offers practical amenities, such as a 2,200-bottle wine room and six parking spaces — a rare find in the bustling Back Bay neighborhood, where parking spots can command prices upwards of half a million dollars.
While Starr and his family now primarily reside in the suburbs, the mansion continues to serve as a pied-à-terre, reflecting its owner’s enduring connection to the vibrant city of Boston.
William Montero of Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty holds the listing.
Surprise: Another weekend and there’s more rain on the way. It’s bad enough we’ve had to post a First Alert.
For now, we’ll watch as clouds thicken today. We’ll squeeze out some drops later this afternoon and evening.
A weather maker is winding up in Canada, wrapping in cold air. All of that is going to dive down to New England.
We’re in the thick of it tomorrow. Rain will be coming at us in bursts with some dry time in between. Winds will likely push past 50 mph in Boston.

Those winds will eat away at temperatures; with wind chills barely above freezing. And no – not just in the morning – but the afternoon, too!
It’s so cold there’s the threat of snow as that rain bumps into colder air over the Berkshires, Worcester Hills and southern New Hampshire right up to Mount Washington.
The snow isn’t going to pile up but just know there could be some flakes flying over our highest hills.
The blue on our Futurecast map marks the spots where snow could mix with rain.
Rain spins out by Saturday evening but not before dumping about half an inch over Boston.
We’ll try to salvage the rest of the weekend with temperatures in the upper 60s by Sunday. Still, there’s the threat of bits and pieces of rain.
By the way, this isn’t any weekend, it’s the last weekend of spring. Meteorological summer starts on June 1.
The first day of summer remains drab and dreary with more rain chances and temperatures in the low 60 on Monday.
Federal immigration demands are once again centered on Massachusetts.
The House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday sent three letters to Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox, Suffolk County Sheriff Steven Tompkins and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden demanding, among other things, information on how many ICE detainers BPD has received and declined to honor from 2022 to 2026 and any communication between the three departments related to immigration.
House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said in a statement that “releasing repeat criminals back to the streets solely because of their immigration status is crazy, and that’s exactly what Boston is doing.”
But Democrats push back on that framing.
“You’re familiar with Jim Jordan and his antics,” said Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey. “This is more circus, it’s more theater and it’s not making our community safe.”
A spokesperson for the City of Boston wrote, “the city has provided this information many times…” going on to say “…these policies are part of keeping Boston the safest major city in America.”
The letters call for the documents to be sent to the House Judiciary Committee by June 10th at 5:00 pm. District Attorney Hayden’s office told NBC 10 they are reviewing the letter, neither Commissioner Cox or Sheriff Tompkins responded to requests for comment.
On the Market
At first glance, Joan Bennett Kennedy’s Back Bay home may not appear all that unusual, but the endless stories held within its walls illustrate how a sacred space became one woman’s shelter from the storm.
After divorcing Ted Kennedy in 1982, Bennett Kennedy returned to Boston and moved into 250 Beacon St. #10, and remained there for more than four decades until her death at age 89 in October. Now, her three-bedroom, three-bathroom home, which measures 2,075 square feet, is on the market at $2.59 million.
“Her home really played an important part in the transformation of her life,” her son, Ted Kennedy Jr., told the Globe. “She was a newly divorced woman coming back, trying to reestablish her roots in Boston, and she had her music, which was part of her unique identity, apart from being married to my father. She was seeking to reinvent herself and live on her own terms.”
It was there at 250 Beacon where Bennett Kennedy restarted her life. She earned a master’s degree in music education at 44, and became a staple on the Boston classical music scene, thanks to her lifelong dedication to the piano. But it was also where she faced significant struggles, ranging from depression to alcoholism. She didn’t hide her battles at a time when they weren’t commonly discussed.
“She paved the way for many other women who were suffering in silence,” said Kennedy Jr. “The Boston community just took her in and provided her with friendship and support.”
The circa-1925 building features an elegant lobby that leads to the elevators. Inside the fifth-floor unit, a foyer flows into a hallway and into the spacious living room, where hardwood floors run throughout and a wood-burning fireplace sits under a unique carved mantel surrounded by marble. But it’s the windows that capture the eyes, with views of the treetops and the Charles River in the distance.
“She would sit at her piano in the condo every afternoon for hours,” said Kennedy, who noted that the home later served as the spot where his mother penned “The Joy of Classical Music,” a guide for introducing classical music to families. Prominent musical figures, including John Williams, Seiji Ozawa, and Arthur Fiedler, were frequent guests.
The open floor plan continues in the dining area and library, filled with built-in bookcases and oversized windows.
The living room fireplace is two-sided; on its opposite side is the primary bedroom suite, with built-in bookshelves and a massive bay window with beautiful views. The primary suite features an en-suite bathroom with a pink vanity.
“These front rooms, all three of them, the amount of glass and the size of these windows are just magnificent,” said Linda Barrett of Douglas Elliman, who has the listing and knew Kennedy for years. “Being on the fifth floor, she sat right at the tree line, looking at the Charles River.”
A second of three full bathrooms has elegant marble tiles and a step-in shower. Across the hallway are two closets for storage and the galley kitchen with green/blue cabinetry and stainless steel appliances.


There are three bedrooms, one with teal carpeting and ample built-in storage.
The home has central air, and the building has a live-in superintendent. The fee is $1,725.39 per month. The piano is not included as part of the sale.
Our weekly digest on buying, selling, and design, with expert advice and insider neighborhood knowledge.
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