The Long Road Back for an 1816 Brick Row House

Here’s an inspiring story for those of you contemplating taking on an historic gut reno. One of our oldest friends grew up in an 1816 brick house in Philadelphia’s Society Hill, once (and now again) one of the most fashionable quarters of Philadelphia. Towards the end of the 19th century, the neighborhood began a slow decline that saw most of the residences converted to rooming houses for those who worked at the nearby docks and food market. From sometime in the 1930’s to the 1950’s, a luncheonette occupied the first floor while the proprietors inhabited the upper floors.

In the mid 1960’s the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority undertook the country’s first historical neighborhood restoration project…

…At this point, Society Hill held the largest collection of late 18th and early 19th century residences in the country, larger than Boston’s Beacon Hill and Washington’s Georgetown. Abandoned houses were condemned and those who still owned houses in the neighborhood were told to restore their facades or get out. The Redevelopment Authority then offered the houses for sale to those who were willing to restore them to their original architectural condition.

Our friend’s parents bought this abandoned house in 1966 for $10,000. The pictures below show the condition of the house at that time. Phase I of the restoration took nine months and cost approximately $60,000. They moved in to the house in 1968, a year before he was born. A second phase of restoration, consisting of the garden, basement and attic, was completed in 1979. The recent pictures were taken in November of 2004, 36 years after the restoration.

Exterior

Living Room

Dining Room

Snuggery