Just Listed: Modern Penthouse Condo Overlooking Rittenhouse Square
The lower of the two penthouses topping this midcentury modern high-rise just got a total makeover that brings its ’50s sensibility into our time.
What’s that glow emanating from the 24th-floor penthouse condo at 220 W. Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103? Maybe it’s the lighting, but it could be your radiant face after you make this place your own. | Photos: Tim Waltman via Seltzer Group, Compass Real Estate
Four years ago, we called rehabber-realtor Alon Seltzer a “god of small spaces” in a ”Who”s Building Philly” profile.
My, how he has grown.
He may still call a Rittenhouse Square studio apartment home, but he now goes after a more grownup set with the properties he showcases.
And this Rittenhouse Square penthouse condo for sale should prove very appealing to a certain set of those grownups — namely, those who can afford the best.
Someone must have said to him, “Go big or go home.” He obviously heard an “and” where that “or” usually appears, for he definitely went big when he took on the task of marketing this spacious, super-stylish condo.
Canno Architecture and Design, which this condo’s owner commissioned to make it over, clearly took its cues from the building’s 1950s origins when it gave this 24th-floor unit at 220 W. Rittenhouse Square its makeover, but it did so with a decidedly 2020s twist.
Living room; foyer at left
Let’s start with the living room and foyer. The corrugated white oak paneling lining the entrance hall recalls the identical design found in the building lobby, and the light fixture in the center of the 25-foot-wide room definitely has that populuxe look. But the rest of the room has a much more up-to-date look and feel. Note that it has a full wet bar as well.
South terrace and path to southeast terrace
Doors on either side of the living room lead to the south terrace, which is part of a larger wraparound terrace spanning the entire south side of the unit, most of the west side and part of the east side.
The layout of this full-floor condo maximizes both privacy and sunshine. The living room separates the bedrooms, where the day begins, from the kitchen and dining areas, where it ends.
Both those areas get abundant sunshine from the unit’s southerly orientation and east-west main axis.
Primary bedroom
Your day begins with the sunshine pouring through the wall of windows that surround the primary bedroom on three sides. The bedroom overlooks Rittenhouse Square itself and splits the east-side terrace into public and private portions.
Northeast terrace at dawn
The private portion, to the bedroom’s north, includes a Jacuzzi spa tub. Imagine sipping afternoon cocktails here on those spring, summer and fall days.
Primary bathroom
The rest of the primary suite is luxuriously outfitted as well. It includes a bathroom with a double marble vanity with wall-mounted faucets, a glass-framed shower, a soaking tub and a separate toilet closet.
Primary bedroom closet and dressing room
You pass through this bathroom to reach the spacious walk-in closet and dressing room.
Bedroom/home office
The two other bedrooms in this wing of the condo also have en-suite bathrooms. You could, as here, outfit one of them as a home office.
On the other side of the living room, the equally expansive entertaining suite spans the south side of the condo, flanked by a large terrace on three sides.
Dining room and wine case
On the sunrise end of this space you will find the dining room. For visual drama, it has both a distinctive rope-light chandelier over the dining table and a glass-enclosed wine storage cabinet.
Dining room and lounge
In between it and the kitchen is a lounge with large folding doors that open onto the west terrace. A second glass wine cabinet lies between the lounge and the kitchen.
Kitchen
And beyond the lounge lies a sleek Eurostyle kitchen with white oak and gray paneled cabinetry, quartz waterfall countertops and a fully camouflaged Sub-Zero refrigerator. The cooktop, oven and microwave are likewise seamlessly integrated into the overall design. The kitchen offers plenty of storage, pantry and work space in its open layout, and it has bar seating for two at its island.
West terrace dining area
The dining room handles indoor dining, while the west terrace handles the outdoor variety. From this terrace you can take in the sunset over University City.
Finally, you can’t beat its location 24 stories directly above Rittenhouse Square. This puts you just steps away from fine dining surrounding the square and on South 20th Street, at the other end of the block from this building. Plenty of boutique shopping also lies at your feet, and arts and culture options from the Art Alliance to the Kimmel Center abound within walking distance.
Given all you get with this Rittenhouse Square penthouse condo for sale, its asking price is a bargain in the rarefied world of Center City penthouses.
THE FINE PRINT
BEDS: 3
BATHS: 3 full, 1 half
SQUARE FEET: 3,855, plus 2,695 square feet of outdoor terrace space
SALE PRICE: $4,500,000
OTHER STUFF: Given how walkable this unit is, you should be able to dispense with car ownership, but parking usually comes with high-end condos like this one. Inquire with the listing agent for details about parking. There’s also a video tour featuring a mysterious fellow in shades and a stylish jacket. That man of mystery is the listing agent. This property also qualifies for the full 10-year tax abatement on the renovation.
220 W. Rittenhouse Square, Unit 24A, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103 [Alon Seltzer | Seltzer Group | Compass]
Updated May 19, 10:39 p.m., to clarify Seltzer’s role; he had no hand in the actual renovation of this property.
