WEYMOUTH /Raymond Street, Veronica Lane, Cedar Street and School Street
A 'special place' for generations of families

By TERI BORSETI
For The Patriot Ledger

Area: 21.6 sq. mi.

POPULATION
2000: 53,988
2007: 52,632

Density: 3,096 res./square mile
Median age: 40
Median household income: 59,172

FINANCES
Tax rate: $9.07, residential; $17.91, commercial
Town budget: $126.4 million
Avg. water/sewer bill: $638 year

HOUSING
Median home price
2007: $330,000 (396 sales)
2008: $300,000 (13 sales in Jan.)
Median condo price
2007: $210,000 (218 sales)
2008: $260,500 (6 sales in Jan.)

SCHOOLS
Number of students: 6,933
Number of teachers: 505
H.S. grads to 4-yr. college: 47%
H.S. grads to 2-yr. college: 16%
Median SAT score (2006): 1487Sean Queally recently bought a two-family home on Raymond Street in East Weymouth. He plans to move into the late-1800s New England farmhouse after completing a few cosmetic repairs.

“My son moved to Centerville Street in Weymouth and I have always liked the area, so now I’m moving here, too,” Queally said.

The area of Weymouth that includes Raymond Street, Veronica Lane, Cedar Street and School Street is just off Pleasant Street and most of it was developed in the late 1950s. Most houses are single-family homes, but the neighborhood has several two-family houses, too. Queally said he expects to rent out half of his house for $1,000 to $1,100 a month to help him pay the mortgage.

Around the corner on Veronica Lane, Amanda Sparda-Payne is raising her family in the house her grandparents and parents once owned. “My kids are the fourth generation of family to grow up in this house. I grew up here and had a great childhood, and now my kids will have the same opportunity,” Payne said.

She recently added an in-law apartment where her father now lives.

“There are so many people living here that bought their houses from their parents its amazing and many have added in-law apartments. I feel like I know everyone that lives here and now my kids will, too,” Payne said.

Rick Coughlinof Coughlin Company Real Estate in Weymouth Landing livesdown the street from Payne. “It’s the kind of neighborhood people enjoyed growing up in and they want to come back and bring their own families up here. Many of the houses here are lived in by multi-generational families,” he said.

Coughlin, who has lived seven years in the neighborhood, says he is delighted by the traditions started decades ago. “At Christmastime people go caroling and there’s a hay ride. In summer, they hang a big piece of canvas outside and show movies for the neighborhood kids. It’s really special,” he said.

Houses range in price from $350,000 to $450,000, Coughlin said.

The neighborhood’s developer avoided building cookie-cutter homes. Today, the streets are lined with ranches, capes, colonials and garrisons. Over time several of the houses have been redesigned or added onto.

Eda Casal bought her colonial on Veronica Lane 46 years ago for $23,000. “My kids are grown and gone, but my husband and I love it here,” she said.

They enjoy taking walks through nearby Fairmount Cemetery and say the dead-end streets have always been great for kids to ridebikes. “It’s a close neighborhood. The couple across the street snow-blow my driveway when it snows, and in return I make them pizza and homemade pastry,” Casal said.

The quiet area is a couple of miles from Route 3 (via Route 18). Pleasant Street Market and Gusto Pizza are within walking distance.