At $17 million, the sale of 139-145 Richmond St. was the most expensive single-building transaction in the history of Boston's North End.
And not a bad payday, given Laura Veo, a builder who owned the apartment and commercial property with her husband, David P. Veo of Freedom Realty Advisors, originally purchased it for $2.35 million.
"When we bought it in 1989, it had been on the market for several months. People said it was overpriced," Laura Veo said. "We paid the asking price and never looked back."
The Veos represented themselves as the sellers in the 2025 sale.
"I miss it," Laura Veo said, recalling how the property, which sits on the Freedom Trail, once housed Felicia's restaurant, which attracted such stars as Bob Hope and members of the Rat Pack. Now the property is home to Vinoteca di Monica, a restaurant and pasta shop.
The North End, Boston's oldest residential neighborhood, is known for being the hub of the city's Italian-American community, with some of the region's best restaurants and bakeries.
Giancarlo Tiberi, founder and principal broker at Core Property Group, a Boston‑based boutique brokerage specializing in investment real estate, and Craig Brody of Douglas Elliman represented buyer Plumbrook Capital of New York City in the sale.
Tiberi began his real estate career nearly two decades ago renting apartments — a role that provided the foundation for his future success.
“Renting apartments taught me how buildings operate, what drives rents and how to deliver value to landlords and investors,” Tiberi said. “That experience shaped how we approach every deal today.”
Brody said the “deal required patience, creativity and collaboration. It’s a perfect example of how strategic teamwork and persistence can lead to exceptional results.”
It's that patience and persistence that helped the deal earn a CoStar Impact Award, as judged by local real estate professionals who know the market.
About the project: The building offers 19,243 square feet of multifamily space, 3,111 square feet of retail and 1,760 square feet of office space, according to CoStar data. There are 17 residential units in total.
Built in 1900, the property has undergone numerous renovations and capital improvements: "We renovated every unit, updated the common areas and replaced the roof, Laura Veo said.
What the judges said: “139 Richmond Street stands out as the winner because it achieved a record‑breaking $17.025 million sale — the highest single‑building transaction ever recorded in Boston’s North End, making it uniquely impactful within the market," said Stephanie Donlin, senior director of Real Estate at Greystar Real Estate Partners. "The deal required years of persistence, creative structuring and deep local expertise."
Mark Fallon, director of research and strategy at Hunneman, said the sale "exemplifies the strength of Boston’s multifamily market. At a time when [commercial real estate] fundamentals remain challenged across a variety of asset classes nationwide, this record‑setting transaction indicates the depth of demand for multifamily assets in the region — a testament to the city and its residents.”
They made it happen: Giancarlo Tiberi of Core Property Group and Craig Brody of Douglas Elliman’s Newbury Street office jointly represented the buyer in the transaction. David P. Veo with Freedom Realty Advisors served as the listing broker.