Jawdropper of the Week: Modern Classic Townhouse on Rittenhouse Square

There’s nothing like this simply elegant townhouse at 1910 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103 on the square itself — save for its next-door neighbor (right). Aren’t you lucky this place is for sale? / Bright MLS images via Allan Domb Real Estate

There’s living in Rittenhouse Square, and then there’s living on Rittenhouse Square.

For most people, that means buying a condo or renting an apartment in one of the high-rise buildings that ring the square. Buy this Rittenhouse Square modern classic townhouse for sale and you will be a rare bird indeed: one of only two owners of a townhouse facing the square.

The other owner occupies the townhouse to your west.

This one, however, offers lots of modern creature comforts in a simple neotraditional package.

Home office (library)

It begins with a tri-level main floor. In front is a home office (labeled as a library on the floor plan) next to the hallway leading from the vestibule.

Foyer

The hallway leads past a coat closet and powder room to three steps that lead to a spacious foyer with a bay window next to the stairs to the second floor.

Entertainment room

Behind it is an entertainment room with a wet bar that mixes modern lighting with traditional detailing.

Den (study)

Five more stairs connect the entertainment room to a study that currently serves as a den. Doors at the front and back of the room lead to stairs — at one time the servants’ stairs, no doubt — leading to the second floor and basement.

Living room

The second floor contains the main spaces for formal entertaining. In front is a spacious living room with a fireplace and a bay window facing the square.

Dining room

A second powder room and the main staircase separate the living room from the formal dining room, which also has a fireplace. The listing copy says this room also has “a ceiling mural done by a well-known European church painter.” I don’t know whether the mural was painted after these photos were taken or whether it was digitally removed from this photo, but I sure hope it didn’t get painted over.

Kitchen

Behind the dining room is this totally modern kitchen whose stainless steel cabinets give it the look of a restaurant kitchen. It boasts a Sub-Zero fridge, a double wall oven, an island and granite countertops.

Den

The den at the front of the third floor looks like it should be the library, thanks to the wall of built-in bookcases.

Dressing room (bedroom)

Behind it and a third powder room is this dressing room. It also counts as one of this house’s five bedrooms, as do all of the other three rooms on this floor.

The second middle bedroom on the third floor serves as an exercise room. It and the bedroom in back share a full hall bath.

Primary bedroom

Finally, the fourth floor contains a spacious master suite whose bedroom features porthole windows. When this house was built — the property data sheet gives its construction date as 1750, but that strikes me as awfully early for a townhouse of this size on the square; I’d put it in the mid-19th century — this was most likely the servant’s quarters. (The low-ceilinged top floors of most Rittenhouse Square townhouses housed the domestic help.)

Primary bathroom

Its bathroom contains dual vanities and a jetted soaking tub/shower combo. Its many mirrors would make Louis XIV very happy.

The basement offers storage space for both your stuff and your cars, up to two of them, in a garage that opens onto Manning Street. It also contains the laundry room and a third full bath.

And on top of all this, you have Rittenhouse Square as your front yard, not to mention all the boutiques, restaurants and nightspots Rittenhouse Row and the neighborhood have to offer.

Which makes this Rittenhouse Square modern classic townhouse for sale ideal for someone who wants to stand out from the crowd.

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: 5

BATHS: 3 full, 3 half

SQUARE FEET: 5,488

SALE PRICE: $4,995,000

1910 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103 [Allan Domb | Allan Domb Real Estate]