On the Market: Spanish Revival Trinity in Rittenhouse Square

This handsome Spanish Revival — or maybe it’s Tuscan — trinity at 117 S. Beechwood St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, is just as stylish and luxurious as it was when we featured it here back in May of last year. But it has also gotten more affordable. / Photography by owner via Bright MLS and RE/MAX Town & Country

This channel used to have a regular feature titled “Why Won’t This Sell?” In it, we featured houses that had been sitting on the market for a good long time.

This Rittenhouse Square Spanish Revival trinity house for sale would have made an ideal candidate.

For starters, it’s located on a charming-as-all-get-out pedestrian walkway near the Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion in Rittenhouse Square’s western reaches. It’s part of a cluster of Mediterranean-style houses built in the 1920s.

Sometime in 2021, after this house last changed hands, its owner gave it a makeover that preserved its traditional details while giving them a modern spin. Then the owner put it up for sale in January of last year. I was impressed enough by the makeover to feature it as a Trinity Tuesday listing in May 2022.

Main floor

The modern element comes to the fore on the main floor, where you will find a living/dining room and kitchen.

Kitchen

The kitchen has plenty of cabinet space, up-to-date stainless-steel appliances, a herringbone backsplash with gold inlays, and a pot filler over the gas range.

Living/dining room

A custom wood mantel on the fireplace adds a touch of tradition, while an exposed brick wall, built-in bookcase and contemporary open-tread staircase give it a whiff of modern loft apartment style.

Rear patio/courtyard

Behind all this lies an ample rear patio, part of a courtyard that spans the row of houses.

Second-floor bedroom

The upper two floors each contain a bedroom and a bathroom. The bedroom on the second floor contains another fireplace with a custom wood mantel, built-in bookshelves, an exposed brick wall and French doors that open onto a Juliet balcony. If you don’t need to use it as a bedroom, it makes a great home office.

Second-floor bathroom

The bathroom on this floor boasts Calacatta marble tile on its floor and all over its shower, which has gold accents that match the decor.

Primary bedroom

The third floor contains the primary suite. Its bedroom has no fireplace, but it does have a vaulted ceiling and an exposed brick wall. So do the hall landings on both upper floors.

Primary bathroom

The luxurious primary bath features black marble tile on the floors and walls along with a wet room consisting of a soaking tub and a shower with a rain head.

Basement

This house also has a finished basement with an exposed-beam ceiling. You could turn this into a media room, a rec room, a fitness center, a bar and lounge, or any of a number of other uses.

All of this occupies a location that makes car-free living easy: with a Transit Score of 100, a Walk Score of 99 and a Bike Score of 98, you shouldn’t need a car to get around at all unless you have a job that requires you to commute to some far-flung suburb.

Both the University City campuses and the West Market Street office canyon are an easy walk from here. The Rittenhouse Square neighborhood also abounds in boutiques, bistros, restaurants, parks and other places you will want to visit.

There’s also a supermarket a little further away but still within walking distance. And the Schuylkill River Trail is just a few blocks to your west. This house also sits a short distance from 30th Street Station, where you can find SEPTA and Amtrak service to wherever you want to go. The Schuylkill Expressway runs right next to the station should you need to drive somewhere.

Given all the convenience, luxury and style this Rittenhouse Square Spanish Revival trinity house for sale has to offer, it should cost a pretty penny, but it doesn’t. Even after a recent price increase, this remains luxury you can afford.

And yet, it remains on the market after a year and 11 months. But it’s not still on the market because of lack of interest; two offers have been accepted for this house, but both never closed. The listing agent declined to offer an explanation, but the listing copy cautions buyers’ agents to read the agent notes before arranging a showing, so there may be some considerations you may need to take into account when making an offer.

But you really should make an offer if you like what you see here. You won’t find anything as attractive, as attractively priced, and as attractively situated as this house for quite some time.

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: 2

BATHS: 2

SQUARE FEET: 1,085

SALE PRICE: $475,000

OTHER STUFF: This house has been relisted three times and has had 13 price changes since it was first listed for sale in January 2022. The most recent, an increase of $15,001, occurred when it was relisted on June 5th.

117 S. Beechwood St., Philadelphia, PA 19103 [Sebastian Brevart | RE/MAX Town & Country]