Just Listed: Modern Colonial in Germantown

470 E. Locust Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19144 | Bright MLS images via Elfant Wissahickon Realtors

Have you been shopping for an elegant Main Line center-hall Colonial?

I’ve found a beautiful example of one for you today. With the exception of one minor detail, this house contains everything the would-be Main Line house-hunter wants in a house for sale.

That minor detail: a Main Line address.

If you’re willing to overlook that detail, however, you can own a beautifully maintained, totally au courant center-hall Colonial with up-to-date everything and plenty of space inside and out for about half what you’d pay for one that’s actually on the Main Line.

That’s because this Colonial is located in historic Germantown, in that same pocket of affluence that includes that Moderne Colonial I showcased around this time last week. In fact, this more traditional Colonial sits on the next block east of that one.

But while this Colonial is more traditional on the outside, it’s more modern on the inside. Its current owners have given it a sleek modern appearance with minimalist lighting and maximalist amenities.

Living room

Dining room

The rooms that ring the entrance foyer set the tone. Traditional elements like original tile fireplaces with classic wood mantles, crown moldings and mullioned windows get light color palettes and contemporary wall sconces for accompaniments in both the living and dining rooms.

Kitchen

Then there’s the kitchen, a full-on modernist showpiece. It and the adjacent pantries enable you to entertain on a grand scale: the eat-in kitchen has a gas cooktop, double oven, microwave, wine fridge and dishwasher, and there’s another sink and dishwasher in the adjoining butler’s pantry.

Butler’s pantry

That pantry and another one off the back of the kitchen, when combined with the kitchen’s own cabinets, give you plenty of space to store your food, dinnerware, glassware and cookware.

Master bedroom

All of this house’s eight bedrooms on the upper two floors sparkle thanks to the refinished hardwood floors found throughout the house. The master bedroom includes a fireplace, an en-suite bathroom, a large walk-in closet and a seating alcove overlooking the rear terrace. One of the third-floor bedrooms also includes an en-suite bath, and you’ll also find a trunk room for storage on the third floor.

Backyard

Fish pond fountain and rear elevation

The outdoor spaces match the indoor ones in attractiveness. In the back of this house’s one-acre lot you will find a large yard with a formal fish pond with fountain, an outdoor terrace and a covered sun porch.

Sun porch

All this style and modernity come in a package with its own history. It was built in 1914 for Charles and Evelyn Wriggins and expanded in 1924 by noted architect Spencer Roberts. One of its previous occupants served as headmaster of nearby Germantown Friends School before going on to become the vice president for development and secretary of Yale University.

It has parking for three cars, but with SEPTA Regional Rail and four bus routes, three of which connect with the Broad Street Line, within walking distance, you may find you won’t need to use all three spaces. It’s also close to La Salle University, the Shoppes at La Salle and the Central Germantown business district. If you’ve been looking for a great house for sale in Northwest Philly, this one should be at the top of your list. See you at Uncle Bobbie’s or the Fresh Grocer, maybe?

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: 8

BATHS: 4 full, 1 half

SQUARE FEET: 5,636

SALE PRICE:  $665,000

OTHER STUFF: The upgrade also gave this house dual-zone climate control, 200-amp electrical service and a 50-gallon water heater in its partially finished basement.

470 E. Locust Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19144 [Miriam Martinez | Elfant Wissahickon Realtors]