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On the Market: Factory Loft Condo in Fishtown

When is a studio apartment not a studio apartment? When it’s a one-bedroom condo in the Old World Warehouse, apparently.


condo for sale fishtown factory loft overview

The listing says this distinctive Old World Warehouse condo has one bedroom. See it there in the back? We’d call this a studio, then. We’d also call 1100 Shackamaxon St. #2E, Philadelphia, PA 19125, a real find. | Bright MLS images via Space & Company

You might have noticed by now that I am quite fond of Fishtown’s Old World Warehouse condominium. Converted factories and warehouses offer residential space with personality and character to begin with, and this former elevator factory does the others one better by attracting owners who pour their own personalities into each unit.

That may be because the individual units are basically large open spaces that can be decorated or configured almost totally as one wishes.

Last week, I showcased an L-shaped one-bedroom condo at the west end of the building’s second floor. As it turns out, the agent who is marketing that unit is also marketing its next-door neighbor, the Fishtown factory loft condo for sale located in the crook of the L.

This Fishtown factory loft condo for sale is a spacious studio …

Wait. The listing says it’s a one-bedroom.

But as you can see from the photo of the entire unit above, the bedroom is completely open to the rest of the unit. If you want to keep your private affairs hidden from your guests when you entertain, this is definitely not the condo for you.

In my book, a condo this open would be a studio. But maybe the owner and agent don’t classify it as one because it has so much space and because the sleeping area is set off from the rest of the unit.

condo for sale fishtown factory loft living room

Living room

Of course, any large open-plan space like this one can be laid out and arranged as you like, save for the kitchen and bathroom. But like most large open-plan spaces, this one offers cues to where the designer expected certain functions to be located.

condo for sale fishtown factory loft dining room

Dining room

The chief clues here are the ceiling fan in what’s expected to be the living room and the chandelier over the place where the dining table should go. By the way, the lighting in this condo is all brand-new.

kitchen

Kitchen

Of course, the presence of the kitchen also sort of dictates the location of the dining room. That kitchen does combine traditional residential design in the form of its cabinetry, appliances and subway-tile backsplash with industrial chic in the form of a metal island with bar seating.

bedroom

Bedroom

The original brick walls and woodwork give this condo plenty of authenticity credits. The owner added a few more by cladding the wall between the bedroom and bathroom with reclaimed wood boards.

bathroom

Bathroom

bathroom

Bathroom

You will find reclaimed-wood-like tile in the shower of the bathroom. The shower also has digital faucet controls that let you program the desired water temperature in advance. And the bathroom has a handsome marble-topped double vanity.

You will also find that this condo is just as convenient to lots of Fishtown attractions as last week’s unit: The Fillmore and Canal Street North. Rivers Casino. Frankford Avenue’s happening restaurants, shops and bars. The less lively but no less cool collection of same along Girard Avenue.

And so on.

As this Fishtown factory loft condo for sale is a little smaller than the one that envelops it, it’s also a little cheaper. And at least your guests won’t have to pass through your bedroom to get to your living room. However, as with most studio units, the bedroom is nonetheless an integral part of the whole. Don’t let the listing language fool you.

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: 1 (but see above)

BATHS: 1

SQUARE FEET: 1,235

SALE PRICE: $369,900

OTHER STUFF: A $358 monthly condo fee covers building insurance and maintenance of the building and common areas. This condo’s sale price has been reduced three times, most recently by $5,000 on Oct. 28th.

1100 Shackamaxon Street #2E, Philadelphia, PA 19125 [Jackie Dabrowski | Space & Company]