5 More Philly Rentals With Great Roof Decks
Summer's not over yet. You still have a chance to snag one of the thousands of local apartments where roof decks come as part of the package. Here are five of them.
Image via Zillow
Maybe it’s because there’s so little private outdoor space available at ground level, but Philadelphians, whether they’re renting or buying, sure love roof decks. A recent survey of apartment listings conducted by the search site Apartments.com found that Philadelphia had the fourth-highest number of apartments for rent with access to roof decks of any city in the country. The more than 1,100 decked-out apartments here were fewer than in Dallas and Denver and far outclassed by New York’s 50,275 units, but we beat out San Francisco by some 300 or so. Guess that city’s hills provide all the views residents want.
Like rental apartments, roof decks here come in various shapes, sizes and levels of poshness. The five units you see here represent a good cross-section of what’s on the market now. Of course, the best of the bunch right now is the dynamite renovated roof deck at The Sterling on JFK Boulevard, but since we already told you to get an apartment there so you could grill on it when Memorial Day came around, we’re leaving that one out this time.
1503 S. 17th St., Point Breeze (above) | 1- and 2-bedroom, 1-bath apartments rent for $1,290 to $1,700 per month. Cats and small dogs welcome.
You can find former schools that have been converted into apartments in several city neighborhoods, but few of them come outfitted with roof decks. This one does: It’s a spartan affair but it’s huge, fitted with wood benches and artificial-turf patches of green, and you get an unrivaled view of the Center City skyline from it thanks to another element common to apartments in old school buildings, namely, super-high ceilings. In addition to those tall ceilings, the units themselves reflect contemporary styles, with modern cabinetry and bathrooms, but you can find original bookcases, shelving and windows in just about all the units.
1503 S. 17th St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19146 [Landlord via Zillow]
Image via Zillow
908 S. Adler St., Bella Vista | 2 beds, 2 baths, 1,200 square feet, #2,295 per month. Pets welcome.
In addition to its spacious, attractive roof deck with sweeping city views, this home also has a balcony off the master bedroom, with a spiral staircase leading to the deck, and a small patio in back. Inside, it’s been nicely updated with hardwood floors, an all-new kitchen, herringbone marble tile floors in the bathroooms, and a programmable smart thermostat that you can control from your smartphone. You get the best of both worlds in its location: it’s on a quiet half-block lane just one block west of the Italian Market — you can be first in line for brunch on Sunday at Sabrina’s Cafe.
908 S. Adler St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19147 [Landlord via Zillow]
Bright MLS image via Coldwell Banker Preferred
315 New St. #425, Old City | 1 bed, 1 bath, 610 square feet, $1,750 per month. Contact agent about pet policy.
Another source of great rentals with roof decks is the ample supply found in condominium buildings throughout Center City. They’re good ways for small investors to earn income from renting out properties like this one, a stylish one-bedroom unit in the Bridgeview Place condo. It’s outfitted with a sleek kitchen with Bosch appliances, including a smooth-top range and wine fridge, and it has a walk-in closet big enough to serve as a home office. The community deck features lounge chairs and an outdoor bar to boot, and the galleries, shops and nightlife of Old City are at your doorstep.
This unit can also be rented with furniture included.
315 New St. #425, Philadelphia, Pa. 19106 [Heidi Logan | Coldwell Banker Preferred]
Bright MLS image via PMC Property Group
1900 Arch St., Logan Square | 1-bed, 1-bath and 2-bed, 2-bath units currently available; units range in size from 642 to 1,100 square feet and rent for $1,820 to $3,450 per month. Pets welcome.
This high-rise apartment tower is one of the more recent additions to the collection of high-rises in the vicinity of JFK Boulevard. Designed by local architectural firm Varenhorst, it’s loaded with all sorts of luxurious goodies, including high ceilings in the apartments, a state-of-the-art fitness center, an entertainment lounge with Wi-Fi, games and thick leather club chairs, valet garage parking and a street-level courtyard with fire pit. There’s an even nicer community space up on the building’s green roof, equipped with a pergola and plenty of comfy seats.
1900 Arch, 1900 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103 [PMC Property Group]
Bright MLS image via OCF Realty
1304 S. Colorado St., Point Breeze | 3 beds, 3 baths, 1,487 square feet, $2,630 per month. Small pets welcome with owner approval; $250 non-refundable pet fee applies.
This is one of those new construction homes that’s designed to play nice with its neighbors on the outside: it matches their traditional architecture and their cornice line. But it’s actually a three-story building with a third floor set back from the street as the zoning code stipulates for the first such home on a block of tw0-story homes. As a result, it has not one, but two roof decks: a small, private one attached to the third-floor master suite and a full-floor one on top of the suite. Inside, you’ll find it mixes traditional style elements like crown moldings and curlicues in the wooden stair risers (something you hardly see at all in new construction) with modern fixtures and fittings on the stair rails, in the kitchen, and in the third-floor master suite. Your upper roof deck comes with a great city view, and you’re halfway between Broad Street and Point Breeze Avenue, both of which offer dining options and local shops.
1304 S. Colorado St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19146 [Elise LeMay | OCF Realty]
