Just Listed: Renovated Carriage House in Germantown

It’s not a train station, but it was used for transportation: it housed carriages that belonged to the owner of the mansion located behind the photographer. Now 241 W. Pastorius St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19144 has become a stylish destination unto itself. | Bright MLS and *agent-supplied images via Compass unless otherwise noted

You might be forgiven when you walk up to 224 W. Pastorius St. in Germantown for thinking that you have mistakenly made your way to Tulpehocken Regional Rail station.

After all, the structure above does look like a very handsome 19th-century railroad station, doesn’t it?

But it’s not. Tulpehocken station is the handsome, unused brick Queen Anne structure at the end of Tulpehocken Street, a one-block walk from here.

But maybe seeing this structure will give SEPTA’s Real Estate Department ideas. Let’s hope it does, for it’s a shame that the station house remains shuttered when it could be converted into a spectacular residence/office or residence/retail combo.

It could take its inspiration from this Frank Miles Day-designed Germantown carriage house for sale, built in 1884, that has been converted into a stylish and totally modern residence.

Pastorius Street, which this house backs up against, is lined with the carriage houses of the Tulpehocken Street mansions that form the core of the Tulpehocken Station Historic District. This particular carriage house served this Frank Miles Day-designed Italianate mansion:

240 W. Tulpehocken St., also designed by Frank Miles Day in 1884, under renovation in September 2019 | Google Street View image

The Google Street View image you see above was taken when both it and the house for sale here were being remade in the fall of 2019. The carriage house got split off as a separate property before the makeovers began, and now the redeveloper is offering it for sale.

What will you get in this attractive little package? (That’s “little” relative to the mansion to which it was once attached.)

Main floor; dining room in foreground and living room behind staircase*

For starters, you get a spacious, totally open main floor that makes socially distant entertaining easy.

Living room*

Its three areas — living area, dining area, kitchen — are arrayed around an open staircase that serves as the floor’s main architectural feature.

Kitchen

Like the kitchen island’s bar, it’s made of reclaimed wood whose darker color contrasts nicely with the blonde wood used in the wide-plank hardwood floor.

Second-floor hallway

You’ll find a similar contrast at the top of the stairs, where a reclaimed-wood undulating ceiling tops off the staircase and adds an element of flair to the upstairs hallway.

Primary bedroom

The three bedrooms — the primary appears here — also get extra style and character from the gables and angles in their ceilings.

Primary bathroom

And the bathrooms are all nicely outfitted with modern vanities, showers and toilets plus mirrors with backlit borders.

Patio*

This house also contains a covered patio off the living room. The former carriage-bay doors have become huge sliding doors that tie the inside and outside spaces together. In addition, a finished basement provides bonus space for whatever you might want: a home gym, a media room, or just extra storage space.

While this Germantown carriage house for sale’s lot comprises just a small portion of the entire former estate, it’s plenty roomy at 101 by 64 feet. That gives you a decent amount of space to dress up with flowers, shrubs and other plants.

When the Chestnut Hill West Regional Rail line resumes service, you will enjoy a convenient commute into the city. Until then, you can take the Route 53 bus to Erie station on the Broad Street Line. Three other SEPTA bus routes also pass close by. And you’re close to Ultimo Coffee, four blocks away from the Wissahickon Park, and convenient to dining and shopping options in nearby Mount Airy, Roxborough, and Manayunk as well. A well-stocked supermarket with a great wine and beer selection is five blocks away at Wayne and Chelten avenues.

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: 3

BATHS: 2 full, 1 half

SQUARE FEET: 2,500

SALE PRICE: $545,000

241 W. Pastorius St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19144 [Sean Adams | Compass]