On the Market: New Construction Townhouse in Point Breeze
The former Walter Smith schoolyard now has 22 new townhouses rising out of it. This spacious modern townhouse for sale is one of them.
1345 S. Garnet St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19146 | Photos: OCF Realty (via Bright MLS where indicated)
The historic Walter George Smith Elementary School in Point Breeze was one of 23 schools the School District of Philadelphia closed in 2013 in the midst of a fiscal crisis.
Realtor-developer Ori Feibush bought the property in 2017 from the Maryland-based company that had bought the 23 schools in a bundle when they closed. His announcement at the time of the sale contained an eloquent rejoinder to Point Breeze neighbors who pushed for the school to reopen as a charter.
The school itself remains a community asset, for in addition to converting it to more than 130 rental apartments, Feibush included facilities for amenities and community use in the building.
Sad to say, its playground no longer remains that kind of community asset. But the 23 new townhouses now nearing completion on the site constitute a different sort of asset.
And you have the chance to contribute to a better Point Breeze if you buy this handsome house for sale.
Exterior front | Bright MLS image via OCF Realty
Its exterior (the house for sale is in the middle of the trio pictured above) offers a notch-above-the-typical modernist update to the traditional Philadelphia rowhouse facade, helped greatly by the choice of brick as the primary facing material.
And thanks to its split-level design, this house looks and feels even more spacious than it is.
Living room
That design elevates the living room a few feet above the street and the dining room and kitchen about a half-floor above it.
As the main floor’s ceiling height is uniform, this creates a 13-foot-high living room flooded with light from both main and clerestory windows.
Dining room and kitchen
Those windows also let light pour into the dining room/kitchen loft overlooking the living room.
Kitchen
The kitchen has the clean contemporary European lines common to most new kitchens in upmarket modern houses today. It also has a huge sliding door that opens onto the balcony over the two-car garage below. (The balcony had not yet been completed when these photos were taken.)
Basement recreation/media room
The raised living room also allowed the developer to insert a high-ceilinged media/recreation room in the basement below.
Master bedroom
The two upper floors have uniform floor levels. The second contains two bedrooms and a hall bath, while the third contains a full-floor master suite with a bedroom, walk-in closet, luxurious bathroom and wet bar.
Master bathroom
Both the spa-like master bath and the hall bath on the floor below have radiant heated floors.
Wet bar in master-suite landing. Double barn doors let you close off this space from the master suite when entertaining guests
The wet bar and a half bath lie at the base of the stairs leading to the roof deck. This allows you to entertain your guests on the deck without having to have them tramp through your private suite to use the bathroom.
Roof deck
The pilot-house-free roof deck offers great views of Center City, University City and the surrounding neighborhood.
This house for sale sits in a great location: Wharton Square Playground, Point Breeze Avenue, Bouvier Garden and Ellsworth-Federal station on the Broad Street Line all lie within walking distance. Buy it, take the time to really get to know your neighbors, and get involved in community affairs, and maybe you too can become an asset to the neighborhood.
THE FINE PRINT
BEDS: 3
BATHS: 2 full, 2 half
SQUARE FEET: 2,500
SALE PRICE: $725,000
OTHER STUFF: Its 10-year property tax abatement was pending approval as of the date the house was offered for sale on the market. As that was 50 days ago as of today (Monday, Jan. 20th), it may have even been approved by now.
1345 S. Garnet St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19146 [Eric J. Gerchberg | OCF Realty]
