Haddon Hall
29 Commonwealth Avenue, Back Bay, Boston
© Meridian Realty Group LLC. All rights reserved.
29 Commonwealth Avenue, known historically as Haddon Hall, has been a defining feature of Boston’s Back Bay for well over a century. Anchoring the southwest corner of Commonwealth Avenue and Berkeley Street, it commands one of the most prominent positions on the city’s grand boulevard. With its imposing height, rich architectural detail, and storied past, the building reflects the evolution of Boston from its Gilded Age ambitions to its present-day identity as one of America’s premier urban neighborhoods.
The story of 29 Commonwealth begins in the mid-nineteenth century, when the site was originally occupied by a stately townhouse owned by textile magnate Joshua Stetson. After his death, the property passed to Elizabeth Bowditch, widow of noted scholar Nathaniel Ingersoll Bowditch, who lived there until her own death in 1892 (Lost New England, 2016). The changing character of Back Bay in the late 1800s, with increasing demand for larger, more modern residential buildings, prompted a new chapter for the site. In 1893, real estate developer William Henry Harrison Newman purchased the property with the vision of replacing the aging townhouse with a state-of-the-art apartment building that would rival the finest residential addresses in New York and Paris (Boston Globe, 1893).
Construction of the new structure, known as Haddon Hall, began shortly thereafter. Designed by architect J. Pickering Putnam, the building was completed between 1894 and 1895 and represented a dramatic departure from the typical Back Bay brownstone. Rising eleven stories , an unprecedented height for its time, the building was constructed with steel and masonry structural elements, making it one of Boston’s earliest examples of a high-rise residential building (SAH Archipedia, 1895). Its exterior, clad in brick and brownstone with ornamental detailing, conveyed a sense of grandeur and permanence, while its scale asserted a bold new vision for Back Bay architecture (Lost New England, 2016).
The design of Haddon Hall followed the French flat model popular in Europe and New York at the time. Rather than individual townhouses, the building offered full-floor residences designed to feel like private homes while providing the conveniences of apartment living. Original plans included three- and four-room apartments, shared parlors, and a communal dining room, catering to the city’s professional and upper-middle-class residents seeking luxury without the demands of maintaining a single-family mansion (Boston Globe, 1895). The corner lot ensured abundant natural light and panoramic views, particularly from the upper floors, which overlooked the Commonwealth Avenue Mall and offered vistas of the Boston skyline (Lost New England, 2016).
Haddon Hall quickly became one of Boston’s most desirable addresses. Early residents included business leaders, attorneys, and academics who valued its proximity to Copley Square and the Public Garden. Its location on the edge of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall meant residents enjoyed a setting of tree-lined beauty while remaining close to Boston’s growing commercial and cultural centers (Boston Herald, 1900). By the early 20th century, Haddon Hall was widely recognized as one of the most prestigious multifamily buildings in the city.
By the 1920s, however, changing market forces led to another transformation. Many of Back Bay’s large residential buildings, including Haddon Hall, were gradually converted to office space as the demand for downtown commercial real estate increased. The building’s large, well-lit floors made it ideal for professional offices, and over the following decades it became home to law firms, consulting agencies, and other enterprises (Friends of the Public Garden, 2017). Despite these changes, the building’s exterior and much of its historic character were preserved, and it remained one of the most recognizable landmarks along Commonwealth Avenue.
Interest in Haddon Hall’s residential potential returned in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries as the demand for luxury condominiums surged. Developers undertook a comprehensive renovation, converting the building back to residential use while maintaining its historic character. The new residences were designed as expansive, full-floor homes with grand proportions, high ceilings, original architectural detailing, and oversized windows (MLS, 2022). Many units feature three or more bedrooms, multiple fireplaces, chef’s kitchens, and spa-style baths, blending nineteenth-century grandeur with twenty-first-century luxury (MLS, 2024).
Today, Haddon Hall is home to just nine residences, each occupying an entire floor or duplex configuration. Residences exceed 3,000 square feet, with several surpassing 4,000 square feet. One duplex unit offers more than 4,000 square feet with three bedrooms and three baths, soaring ceilings, and sweeping three-sided views. The penthouse, comprising over 6,000 square feet and featuring five and a half baths, was listed for more than $13 million in 2024 (MLS, 2024). Another residence, Unit 2, a three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath home, sold in early 2022 for over $11 million, underscoring the enduring desirability of the address (MLS, 2022).
The building’s location remains one of its most significant assets. Positioned directly on Commonwealth Avenue Mall and within close proximity to Newbury Street, the Boston Public Garden, and the Charles River Esplanade, Haddon Hall offers residents both tranquility and access to the city’s finest amenities. Cultural institutions, including Symphony Hall, the Boston Public Library, and numerous galleries and boutiques, are within walking distance, while major universities such as Boston University and Berklee College of Music enrich the neighborhood with intellectual and artistic energy (Boston Globe, 2022).
What makes 29 Commonwealth Avenue remarkable is not only its commanding architecture but also its adaptability over time. From its origins as one of Back Bay’s first high-rise residential buildings to its decades as a professional office hub and its current incarnation as an ultra-luxury condominium, Haddon Hall has continually reinvented itself while retaining its architectural dignity. For buyers, it offers the rare opportunity to inhabit a piece of Boston’s living history with all the comforts of modern luxury. For sellers, it represents not just an address but a legacy and a testament to the enduring appeal and prestige of one of the city’s most iconic buildings.
Contact: MatthewArmstrong@MRGproperty.com
