As many of you in the local Reading community have likely heard, we woke this morning to the devastating news that our beloved 186 Summer Avenue project was overtaken by flames in the early hours of Wednesday. Around 1 a.m., the Reading Fire Department received reports of flames pouring out of the barn, and tragically, the main house was soon engulfed as well.

While we are heartbroken to have been so close to the finish line, only to have years of progress undone in an instant, we would be remiss not to recognize all that remains to be grateful for. We extend our deepest thanks to the Reading Fire Department, as well as to the neighboring communities of North Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, Woburn, Burlington, and Lawrence, whose firefighters worked tirelessly alongside the RFD through the night and well into the day to contain and extinguish the fire. Their efforts have protected the residents of Summer Avenue and the surrounding community from even greater damage. We also want to acknowledge all who have worked tirelessly to revitalize this special property over the past 2 years, including our dear owners, the architects, dozens of contractors, designers, and the volunteer members of the Reading historic societies. 

Though many details are still unknown and won’t be for quite sometime, one thing is certain: this is not the end of the story of 186 Summer Avenue.

Our wonderful Reading community has been so deeply invested in this project and its progress since its inception, and we are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support we have received since today’s heartrending twist in the plot. We will continue to provide updates here as new developments arise.

Summer has finally arrived and the team 186 Summer Ave has been working tirelessly to bring this renovation to the final stages. We hope that the local community has enjoyed watching the evolution of the home that’s been obvious from the outside, as they pass by on their way to work, school or errands, or a daily stroll around the [...]

We are finally seeing glimpses that the dreary grey that has held us in its grasp for the last few months will soon be giving way to sunshine and blue skies that mark the long-awaited arrival of spring. As the season symbolic of growth and renewal finally starts to make its presence felt, we can’t think of a more fitting time to fully dive [...]

We can’t get enough Reading—and we have two big announcements to share. 

Our involvement in the 186 Summer Avenue renovation has caused something we didn’t even realize was possible: we’ve fallen even more in love with the Reading community.

With so much going on in Reading, we have some exciting news: Wilson Wolfe is opening a Reading satellite office and welcoming two new agents to our [...]

Something classic, something blue!

Despite an iffy forecast, we had a fabulous time participating in Reading PorchFest back in June! We welcomed so many lovely Reading residents to 186 Summer Avenue to enjoy performances by The Meichen Show and Signs of Life. 

At the event, we polled attendees, asking them if we should paint the porch [...]

Celebrating the Addition at 186 Summer Avenue

While we're thrilled to be restoring the original building, we simply can't contain our excitement over everything the new addition has to offer! 

The team has collaborated at every step of the process to honor 186 Summer Avenue's historical significance and preserve its charm even in the new [...]

As construction continues, I wanted to pause and celebrate how working with a historical commission has helped us make smart choices on Summer Avenue. 

We have been so grateful to partner with conservationists as we reimagine 186 Summer Avenue’s next chapter. 

The Reading Historical Commission (RHC), established by the Town Meeting in the late 1970s, identifies, records, and supports the preservation of historic assets in [...]

186 Summer Ave is participating in Reading Porchfest

Community matters a great deal to all of us at Wilson Wolfe. All of our agents, myself included, were raised locally, live locally, and work locally. So, being involved with the Summer Avenue restoration—a project that means so much to the Reading community—is a true [...]

I started my internship for Wilson Wolfe in April, when the early stages of construction were underway and the progress was just beginning to be seen. As an intern, I stopped by the house almost daily to take pictures, and to check on updates. But as a neighbor on Summer ave, I was thrilled to be able to see first hand how much work was [...]

The fence is down at 186 Summer Avenue!

If you live in Reading, especially in the neighborhoods surrounding Parker Middle School, you were most likely thrilled to notice that the chain link fence is down around 186 Summer [...]