The Doherty Opening its Doors; Sponsors have Deep Local Roots

BY: Joe Clements (The Real Reporter)

If all goes as planned, festive gatherings and nascent traditions will be hallmarks of this holiday season at 421 High St., its nine residential condominiums targeted towards fresh-faced families and young professionals, prospects including graduates of local college Tufts University and their ilk, i.e. first- and second-time homebuyers seeking “modern, luxury amenities” to enjoy comfortably while sitting on financial upside enabling their single-family home down the road in a leafy Boston suburb like, say, bucolic Lincoln where developers Charles J. Doherty and Christine E. Doherty have been the past decade after previously residing in Medford—C.J. his entire life—and are now deeming their 14,050-square-foot High Street mixed-use structure a “homecoming” of sorts sufficient to brand their building as “The Doherty West Medford” in honor of his parents, Charles (Chuck) and Mary Ellen Doherty.

Their creation? C.J. Doherty Inc. whose company specializing in excavations launched in 1978 has made the firm a Middlesex County AEC legend,, the family roots planted firmly in Medford the entire time and headquartered there to this day where founder Chuck Doherty still takes a backhoe seat to no one, including son and “humble ditch digger” C.J. who was “totally on board” in spring 2024 when his father wanted to dig out the vacant lot where The Doherty West Medford is now “99 percent complete” and waiting on the bureacracy of getting an occupancy certificate that will put the entire project in rapid-fire motion as three committed units can get their legal and lugging logistics finalized while the Dohertys await the onslaught of (hoped-for) residents to fill the remaining half-dozen units listed by The Synergy Group.

Christine Doherty says The Synergy Group “has gone way beyond” their full-service pledge and 35 years in brokerage to generate commitments for one-third of the residential condos that had to sell sight-unseen as the construction project moved along to now being physically ready, C.J. Doherty Inc.

handling the site construction right down to the foundation forged by Chuck Doherty today underpinning a four-story building anchored by ground-level retail that the younger Doherty duo is opening a restaurant in, the 1,100-sf Twisted Tree Cafe breakfast-and-lunch operation to be their third diner after opening the first two back in Lincoln, the first done “on a lark” when the local gathering spot shut

down abruptly and following up on that success that weathered Covid shortly after opening in 2017, a second TTC was installed at the town’s famed DeCordova Museum. And now Christine Doherty is running the show working with veteran manager Ash McLaughlin to expand the brand.

Along those lines, C.J. Doherty was interacting with the original developer planning 421 High St. on possible site work and inquired about the commercial space for the potential expansion of the Twisted Tree Cafe. When the oversubscribed developer suggested his firm take over the entire project, the Dohertys decided to go all in with its construction and the cafe as well, then “it seemed only natural” to celebrate the family’s legacy in the town. “The Doherty name is known throughout Medford as something positive thanks to my parents’ reputation and (work ethic) . . . We saw this as a chance to pay homage to that legacy with a project we think benefits the town where it all began,” recounts C.J. Doherty, the couple living in Medford until custom-designing and constructing a dream home in Lincoln to raise their three children.

Even minus the coveted certificate, the property being marketed by The Synergy Group has secured those three commitments under the guidance of principal Paul Cirignano who is among those assisting the Dohertys in finding buyers for the remaining half-dozen units that include oversized units and several attractive amenities and finishes geared towards encouraging its constituency of newer buyers who are welcomed by the brokers to contact Cirignano directly or visit the website for information on the special financing provisions and other details about the project.

The Dohertys deem the brokerage team as “dedicated” to the client and “knowledgeable” about the sort of tenant who would gravitate towards such an opportunity. According to Cirignano, “this development has it all, including contemporary finishes, 20-foot private roof decks, and easy access to the Medford MBTA Station . . . only one stop away from North Station.” In fact, the station sees traffic from two

separate commuter rail lines.

That is one reason the brokers have touted 421 High St. as being “Where Luxury Meets Convenience” and features what it calls a design philosophy of “chic, high-end residences” including a quartet of townhome-style, bi-level units sporting high ceilings, private decks and patios and in-unit laundry, the latter said to be “a rarity” for new construction condominiums.

The Synergy Group also helped invoke a measure of financial assistance to the process by introducing the developers to mortgage originator Allyson Kreycik of rate.com who is schooled in unique programs to make lending for a home more achievable through rate buy-down options, which done correctly, can

temporarily lower the cost of monthly mortgage payments. As a result, the next two buyers to purchase at The Doherty West Medford will be offered special financing funded by the developers. “It should make a

difference,” relays Christine Doherty who cites a combination of being active home owners themselves for recognizing the advantages while also trusting professionals such as Kreycik and The Synergy Group to improve the chances for a successful outcome, that approach also “critical” to success of the restaurant business which she is primarily focused on as C.J. Doherty is concentrating on building the family business towards full-scale development ala 421 High St. and a number of other projects they have done including a couple of 19-unit projects even more challenging then The Doherty.

A lot of delegation for the restaurant activity was achieved in the hiring of Ash McLaughlin as an experienced and hands-on manager and operator who shares duties with Christine Doherty as the new store is prepared for its grand opening. “Ash is an amazing person who works incredibly well under pressure and dealing with everything that can go wrong in that (environment),” says Christine Doherty whose career was in biotech sales before leaving a few years ago to focus on the Doherty endeavors. She has “taken naturally” to the food industry while CJ uses a business degree from Merrimack College to bolster his built environment skills, but each are at the ready to pitch in when needed.

Indeed, while they followed much of the plan acquired from the original developer, Christine used an innate design sense to make different choices on appliances, floors and wall finishes and applications “in keeping” with the youngish, entrepreneurial tastes of today’s homeowners, an acumen put to the test when they designed and built their own home in Lincoln that inspired both to change directions towards soup-to-nuts developments. At more than 8,000 square feet, that complex venture is more than half the size of The Doherty West Medford.

It sounds like C.J. Doherty Inc. is all set on digging ditches talent-wise, but C.J. Doherty expresses confidence there will be more crossovers as the development business expands. “Christine is very creative and organized,” he observes, “and those skills play well in both the restaurant business and the construction industry . . . I welcome her help if she wants to (provide it), and if the restaurant needs me, I will be happy to do what I can.” Interestingly, the pair regularly cite Chuck Doherty’s sage advice that one “not bite off more than one can chew,” then parlayed the search for a restaurant location into a complex undertaking that has consumed much of the mid-decade, even as they cope with another time-bandit in having three rambunctious sons to raise.

Asked of the time needed to accomplish so many tasks day in and day out and the pressure it might have on a marriage appears to be the least of their concerns. “We get along really well together,” relays C.J., adding, “it’s almost sappy how well.” Christine accedes that “our friends sometimes find it a bit annoying.” Both credit an upbringing for establishing those qualities. Christine was raised in New Jersey before becoming entrenched in the Medford mainframe established nearly a half-century ago by the original Doherty clan who arrived from Dublin in 1972 and dug themselves a permanent home where Chuck Doherty is still at it, tilling away.

“What my parents accomplished in Medford is very important and it is gratifying we can recognize and honor them for being such pillars of the community who did everything they could to improve it every day,” recounts C.J. Doherty who marvels at the vigor his father brings to the job site, be it a rank-and-file excavation or one for the ages. “My father still enjoys (excavation) at age 75, and he is still really good at it, so he can go right ahead and do whatever he wants.”

As to digging the foundation for The Doherty West Medford, C.J. Doherty says his father’s contribution “is a fitting, permanent testimonial to our family legacy.. . I do think it is great.” Signage of some sort is also planned to highlight the accomplishments.

Learn more about The Doherty and the available units at https://www.thedohertywestmedford.com

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