On the Market: High-Floor Condo at 500 Walnut in Society Hill
This luxurious condo building’s penthouse fetched record sale prices both times it was sold. You can now get this completed family-friendly unit for much less than that.
Cecil Baker’s glass tower at 500 Walnut offers unrivaled views of Independence Hall, Independence Mall and Old City. You now have a chance to enjoy them with this full-floor high-floor unit at 500 Walnut St., Unit 1600, Philadelphia, Pa. 19106 | Bright MLS images via Compass
Thinking about having children anytime soon? Would you like to give them the best of everything, but don’t want to leave the city to do it?
Pay attention to the photos of this modern, stylish condo for sale at 500 Walnut in Society Hill, then. Its current owner has been doing just that.
If you’ve been reading this section over the years, you may recall that this Scannapieco Development building’s penthouse set a sale price record — $17.85 million — while it was still a hole in the ground, then set another — $32 million — when the buyer put the vanilla shell on the market at the beginning of last year.
The good news here is: This full-floor unit nine floors down is a steal by comparison. Yet it offers the same great views you get up on the top. And it’s been fully finished in a style heavy on the Scandinavian modern look.
Of course, the building’s architecture invites this type of decor. Its main living area is ringed in glass and offers plenty of clear space, with only a single support column on the east side interrupting the view.
Living room
Its living-room portion features a stone gas fireplace and a bird’s-eye view of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Pavilion. (In a neat disappearing trick, architect Cecil Baker designed this building so that you can see the Liberty Bell Pavilion but the people in the Liberty Bell Pavilion can’t see you.)
Living-area balcony
An east-facing balcony that spans roughly half the length of the main living area offers fresh-air views of Old City, the Delaware riverfront, Independence Mall and the Ben Franklin Bridge.
Dining room
Kitchen seating area
The dining area sits next to this balcony, and a sliding door leads to it from the seating area next to the kitchen.
Kitchen
Kitchen and coffee bar
The Downsview-designed kitchen features a full complement of Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances, including a Wolf gas cooktop that blends in with the cabinetry. It also has a coffee bar with a built-in Miele espresso maker next to the dining area.
Den/home office
Just past the kitchen and connected to it by a doorway is a den that also serves as a home office. Again, the look is clean, crisp and very Scandinavian.
The same goes for all three bedrooms. The building’s chamfered southeast corner means two of them offer views to both the south and east.
Primary bedroom
The primary suite is the larger of the two. It has its own coffee bar, south-facing private balcony and a huge walk-in closet.
Primary bathroom
Off the hallway connecting the bedroom with the closet is a luxurious primary bathroom with dual vanities, more blond-wood cabinetry, a full tile shower and a soaking tub next to its east-facing window.
Bedroom
The other corner bedroom has been outfitted as a nursery…
Bedroom
…while the third bedroom has a cleverly designed bunk bed.
Besides the way it’s furnished, several other things recommend this condo as a place to raise your kids. For starters, they can get their American history straight from the sites where our country was born (twice), the Declaration of Independence was written, and the first national flag was produced. On top of that, two museums close by celebrate the American Revolution and the Constitution, and several other historic sites are a short walk away.
Not to mention that the neighborhood grade school is one of the best and most diverse in the city.
Meanwhile, you will enjoy the many restaurants and nightspots in nearby Old City as well as easy access to the Delaware waterfront.
And there’s more. The 500 Walnut building has some of the best amenities of any condominium in the city. These include a robotic parking garage; 24-hour concierge service; use of a chauffeured Mercedes; a lap pool and hot tub; a fitness center, steam room, sauna and massage studio; a billiard room; a boardroom; a guest suite; and an amenity and event space that includes a full kitchen and an expansive terrace overlooking Independence Square.
All of this you also enjoy when you live here. That may well make this stylish Society Hill 500 Walnut condo for sale one of the best luxury housing bargains in the city.
THE FINE PRINT
BEDS: 3
BATHS: 3 full, 1 half
SQUARE FEET: 4,300
SALE PRICE: $8,500,000
OTHER STUFF: A $4,300 per month condo fee covers maintenance, insurance and use of the building and its common facilities and services.
500 Walnut St., Unit 1600, Philadelphia, Pa. 19106 [Sarah West and Lavinia Smerconish | Compass]
