Just Listed: Rebuilt Rowhouse in East Point Breeze

The “workingman’s rowhouse” was the “affordable housing” of the early 20th century. This one, at 1516 S. Hicks St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19146, has been updated for today’s tastes — and it’s still pretty affordable. | Bright MLS images via Entourage Elite Real Estate

For the last century-plus, Philadelphia has taken pride in its high rate of homeownership. As the city grew rapidly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, builders and bankers alike worked to provide housing for those new arrivals drawn by work in the city’s many factories and workshops. A 1908 promotional poster touting the “Philadelphia of To-day — The World’s Greatest Workshop,” issued in celebration of the 225th anniversary of the city’s founding (which took place the year before, actually), also claimed this honor for the city:

“America’s greatest Home City with more home owners than any other City in the world.”

And the great majority of those “home owners” lived in rowhouses like this one in Point Breeze. We refer to this modest two-story variety as the ”workingman’s” rowhouse because it was built to be affordable to a worker in one of those factories.

Nowadays, this rebuilt Point Breeze rowhouse for sale still serves as a great starter house. If you’re in the market for your first home, you would do well to consider this one.

Main floor

This just-rehabbed house has everything modern starter-home buyers look for. Its main floor got rebuilt with a totally open floor plan that includes a powder room for visiting guests.

Living room

Its style is pretty generically modern, but there are some nice touches here and there, like the exposed-brick accent wall in the living room and the black-and-white staircase with its original banister.

Kitchen

The wide galley kitchen is pretty snazzy too, what with its glass-fronted, crystal-knobbed Shaker-style china cabinets and the mixed colors of its hexagonal-tile floral backsplashes — black in back of the gas range, cream on either side of it, grey over the sink and its adjacent counter space.

Master bedroom

The upstairs master bedroom has one of the more unusual ceiling-fan lights we’ve seen lately. The LED ring light brings to mind those dim fluorescent lights found in many New York City apartment house stairwells that residents mockingly call “the landlord’s halo.” This one, on the other hand, is very bright and will fill the room with light when the large windows in front don’t.

Master bathroom

The stylishly appointed master bathroom lies where one might expect the closet, behind a sliding barn door. (You’ll find the closet against the wall closest to the door, aligned with the staircase from below.) Both it and the hall bath have attractive showers with rain heads and subway-tile backsplashes; the hall bath has a tub/shower combo. Note the cool midcentury modern vanity here as well.

There’s a second bedroom at the rear. The laundry is in the mudroom on the way from the kitchen to the rear patio.

Rear patio

The patio is ready for use, but we’ll wager you will want to improve on the black plastic and chain link fencing after you move in. And while you’re about improving the patio, why not green it up a little?

Finally, the half-finished basement space makes a great rec room, media room, man or woman cave, home office, gym, playroom, or what-have-you.

And this rebuilt Point Breeze rowhouse for sale is very conveniently located. It’s a block and a half away from Tasker-Morris station on the Broad Street Line — while the station’s closed right now, it will reopen eventually — and just a few pleasant blocks further away from the East Passyunk Avenue shopping and dining district.

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: 2

BATHS: 2 full, 1 half

SQUARE FEET: 1,000

SALE PRICE: $359,999

1514 S. Hicks St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19146 [Jake Comerer | Entourage Elite Real Estate]