Open This Saturday: Bi-Level Penthouse in Rittenhouse Square

Soaring ceilings and huge fanlight windows form the backdrop for the strikingly modern condo the current owner of 1601 Locust St., Unit PH1, Philadelphia, PA 19102 inserted into this traditionally styled space. / Photography by Oscar Mikols, OM Media, via Kristen Foote & Co., Compass Pennsylvania, unless otherwise noted

You will find many impressive properties up and down the price scale on the roster for Saturday’s “Open House Philly” tour, but you will find very few as stunning as this Rittenhouse Square bi-level penthouse condo for sale.

This stunning unit sits atop The Lanesborough, a luxury condo located right on the border between Center City’s commercial and residential districts.

Upper floors of The Lanesborough; Unit PH1 is the unit with the tall fanlight windows / Drone photo via Bright MLS and Compass

This building, converted into condos in 2003, was built in 1929 as the University Club of Philadelphia — an inscription on its northeast corner also identifies it as the home of the Yale Club and the Haverford Club — so it has an academic, clubby pedigree.

If this unit were a club, however, it would have more in common with Studio 54 than with any gathering of college alums. Thanks to a more recent renovation, the Classical Revival shell got filled with two stories of modern pizzazz and bling. And its layout gives you all the room you need to throw a helluva dance party.

But it would still be classier than Studio 54, at least if you love art, for as you will see, it has plenty of wall and floor space for you to display artworks and sculptures.

Foyer

Entrance hall

You enter this unit from a private elevator lobby that leads to a long corridor past a powder room, a laundry room, several closets and two en-suite bedrooms.

That corridor then opens up onto this:

Main living area

A totally open-plan, two-story-high space punctuated by three staircases and several dividers that demarcate the various main-floor spaces.

Living room

The living room lies immediately to the right of the corridor’s end. It has a fireplace that it shares with the dining room and a balcony overlook.

Wine room

Immediately to the left of the corridor, a wine room sits beneath a staircase with glass and metal railings.

Dining room

The dining room lies on the other side of the divider containing the fireplace. A distinctive black-and-white chandelier, one of a trio of distinctive modern lighting fixtures in the main living area, graces the space over the table.

Kitchen

You will find the kitchen directly opposite the dining room. This study in contrasts combines black cabinets with white marble countertops and backsplashes. You can also seat guests at its island and put on a show for them as you cook.

Den

Bar

Spiral staircases at the far ends of the dining room and kitchen lead to loft balconies. The one on the dining-room side sits atop a den while the other one sits atop a marble-topped bar.

Game room

The lofts and the space between and beneath them currently function as a huge rec room. One loft has fitness equipment and the other has pinball machines. Of course, you will be able to outfit these spaces as you wish.

Southeast terrace

Southwest terrace

Doors on either side of this room lead to two terraces, one facing southeast, the other facing southwest.

Primary bedroom and sitting area

The stairs over the wine room lead to a huge primary bedroom suite.

View from primary bedroom balcony

The bedroom itself has wide doors that slide open to offer you a view of the entire rest of the condo. This is what you will see if you sleep with the doors open when you rise in the morning, as the bed faces the entrance.

A dressing room bigger than either of the two other bedrooms sits to the right of the bed

Primary bathroom

And on the opposite side from the entrance is a primary bathroom that’s as big as some small apartments.

Primary bathroom

It even has separate rooms for its toilet and steam shower, with a bathtub in the alcove between them. A dressing table with its own small balcony and a second laundry room lie at the far end of the bathroom, past the steam shower.

This palatial Rittenhouse Square bi-level condo for sale also offers convenience, as so much of what makes Center City a great place to live lies within walking distance. Those things include Rittenhouse Square itself, shopping and dining on Rittenhouse Row, and the Avenue of the Arts.

You’re also right on top of the PATCO Lindenwold Line terminal station should you have the need or desire to go to South Jersey. I’d recommend you try it just to check out the great farmers’ market in Collingswood on Saturday mornings from May to November — it’s one of the 10 best farmers’ markets in the country.

So: Are you ready to join the club? Or even be it?

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: 3

BATHS: 3 full, 1 half

SQUARE FEET: 4,539

SALE PRICE: $2,995,000

OTHER STUFF: A $3,406 monthly condo fee covers insurance and maintenance of the building and its common spaces. You will be able to tour this condo from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday during “Open House Philly.”

1601 Locust St., Unit PH1, Philadelphia, PA 19102 [Kristen Foote | Kristen Foote & Co. | Compass]