On the Market: Reconfigured Trinity in Rittenhouse Square

No, that’s not a spiral staircase, but yes, this is a trinity. A rather spacious one, too, at 1830-32 Manning St. #2, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103 | Bright MLS images via Simple Choice Realty

What’s wrong with this picture?

Nothing that I can spot. But I’m sure that there are some trinity aficionados out there who are reading this, then looking at the photo above, and asking, ”Where’s the spiral staircase?”

My answer, which may not be the right one: It got remodeled out of existence.

Front entrance

Here’s my reasoning: The facts-and-figures data in the listing for this Rittenhouse Square alley trinity house for sale gives its construction date as 1850, which sounds about right for houses in this part of Rittenhouse Square. That would mean that if it were built as a trinity, it should have been smaller than this and featured one of those spiral staircases.

And since it really is a trinity still, then if I’m right, what happened is that somewhere after 1850, this house got extended to the rear, with the kitchen ell taking up most of what was left of its backyard. Then whoever extended it removed the spiral staircase and added a straight-line one.

Now, it’s entirely possible that this house was built like this from the get-go, which would make it an outlier among mid-19th-century trinities.

Regardless whether or not I’m right, you get a break if you buy this trinity, for you will be able to get your mattresses, bed frames and even box springs if you have them up the stairs to your two bedrooms.

Both bedrooms have ample space for your bed, but the one on the second floor is long and narrow — 19 feet by 8 feet — while the one on the third is an 11-foot by 11-foot square.

Second-floor bedroom

This means the second-floor bedroom is the larger one, and as this photo shows, it’s laid out so that you can use part of it as home office space.

Third-floor bedroom

If you have a larger bed, though, you will no doubt want to haul it up to the third floor.

Second-floor bathroom

Each of the bedrooms has a bathroom attached to it. The one on the second floor has a true vintage look with its subway-tile wainscoting and clawfoot tub.

The main floor’s dimensions are such that putting the dining area in front and the living room between it and the kitchen makes more sense, as the current owner has done.

Kitchen

And the kitchen is up to date, with granite countertops, traditional cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and ample counter space. The washer and dryer in the unfinished basement also come with the house.

Which, by the way, is located on a cute little gated alley off Manning Street in a very convenient location. Rittenhouse Square itself is right around the corner, which means you can enjoy the outdoors whenever you feel like it.  Many fine restaurants and chic shops ring both it and nearby Walnut Street. Penn Medicine at Rittenhouse and the South Street West restaurant row lie four and a half blocks to this house’s south, and you can find one very good independent supermarket a block to your south on Spruce Street and another nearby at 23rd and South streets.

Given all this plus the fact that this isn’t a condo, this handsome, well-kept Rittenhouse Square alley trinity house for sale offers you a great, relatively affordable way to stake a claim to your own little piece of Center City’s most prized neighborhood.

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: 2

BATHS: 2

SQUARE FEET: 880

SALE PRICE: $477,800

1830-32 Manning St. #2, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103 [Christopher Carr | Simple Choice Realty via Zillow]