Rittenhouse Square has long been one of the most famous of Philadelphia neighborhoods. It’s as steeped in history as a residential area as the Liberty Bell is in American culture. Built as one of the five original open space parks by William Penn, the park itself is two block square and is the focal point of one of the most upscale areas in the city.
Rittenhouse Square apartments come in all shapes and forms from high rises to historical low rises, and there is no better address in the city.
Rural Turned Urban History
The area where Rittenhouse Square is located today was once a rural setting. The first person to erect one of the large town houses on the park front was a politician and merchant, and it was he who set the standard for the future development around the Square. Today, these private homes are gone. Of the ones that still exist from those days in the mid-1800s, they have been converted into apartments. In the place of others, there are quality high rise buildings which maintain the same mark of prestige.
In the area surrounding the park, one finds historic buildings such as churches — St. Mark’s, Holy Trinity and 10th Presbyterian – along with many of the city’s private clubs – Cosmopolitan, Plays and Players and the Print Club. These buildings mix with the new ones to give Rittenhouse Square and the neighboring streets a feel of history and importance. When William Penn designed the park, he could have had no idea of what it would become today.
Modern Rittenhouse Square
A Rittenhouse Square apartment today means not only having a great address but also means living in the center of Philadelphia life. The area is home to many of the city’s finest cultural institutions, which includes the Curtis Institute of Music, the Rosenbach Museum and Library and the University of Arts just to name a few. The shopping is some of the best anywhere and ranges from high end department stores to exclusive boutiques. You share the park and the streets with tourists and office workers. The area has many nearby large office complexes and two five star hotels. And if there’s ever an urge to leave the immediate neighborhood, public transportation is right outside your door.
Rittenhouse Square Rental Prices
This kind of Philadelphia apartment does not come inexpensively. You’ll pay at least $1500 for a small studio and the rents skyrocket from there for larger units. But, if you consider that you are living in one of the most walkable and popular areas of Philadelphia, the prices stand to reason. It’s chic, it’s sleek and there are choices from pre-war to ultra-modern and contemporary glass high rises. This neighborhood is something to aspire to if you consider yourself upwardly mobile, or if you’ve already got everything else that you want in life. It’s grand!
