In our last Secret Life of Buildings post we tackled trinity homes. What we didn’t get around to mentioning are the residential courts that many houses of this style are nestled into. Residential courts are the smallest of the small streets, cartways, and alleyways that were carved out of William Penn’s Greene Country Towne in…
Philadelphia is a city rich with architectural history, with many private residences dating back to the colonial era. And while homes have changed significantly since the city’s founding in 1662 (we’re particularly fond of indoor plumbing and electric wiring), one element of Philadelphia rowhomes remains little changed in over three hundred years: brick. It’s no…
Minerva Parker Nichols designed the New Century Club of Wilmington in 1892-1893. Image: Schlesinger Library, Harvard Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University.
Your home is one of the most important investments you make. So, how do you decide if waterproofing your basement enhances and protects that investment or merely drains your savings? There are a lot of variables to consider when thinking about basement waterproofing. We’ve broken them down so you can make the best decision given…
When it comes to world-class architects and architectural styles, Philly has a rich history. From 19th Century Colonial design through 20th Century modernism, our City is a showcase of outstanding architectural luminaries. While this list isn’t exhaustive, we encourage you to use this guide to acquaint yourself with some of the great architects who have…
Why visit a staged haunted house with ghost actors this Halloween, when you can explore some of Philadelphia’s many historic sites that locals believe to be haunted? You don’t have to be a professional Ghostbuster to enjoy these sites on your own or with a local walking tour company that can share both the site’s…
Just south and west of the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood is a highly desirable residential area that takes its name from one of Philly’s most charming parks Fitler Square. Bordered by Spruce Street to the north, Bainbridge to the south, 23rd Street to the east, and the Schuylkill River to the west, this neighborhood is favored…
When it comes to the holiday season, there is one block in the Historic Rittenhouse-Fitler District that attracts more lovers than any other. Every week throughout the year, but especially during the festive season, couples come to the 1700 block of Addison Street to pop the question.
Fishtown is a neighborhood that escapes definition in all ways. Its boundaries are disputed, its origins unclear, and its population in flux. Fishtown, a small neighborhood along the Delaware River northeast of Center City, can be difficult to define because it was originally merely a subset of the larger Kensington neighborhood. Today, however, Fishtown…