Not so long ago nearly anyone
you asked would insist that Philadelphia was as old fashioned as, well,
Philadelphia. But an influx of new development has shifted the city into high
gear. "The city has blossomed," says Tom Scannapieco, developer of 1706
Rittenhouse Square, a 31-story condominium project in the center of the city’s
renaissance. "It’s attracted a lot of New Yorkers. And we’ve seen a dramatic
growth in upscale restaurants and boutique shopping in the neighborhood." Add to
that prices that represent a great value, compared to other major northeastern
cities, plus first-tier urban amenities, and it is easy to see why people are
jumping states.
While the square began as pasturage in colonial times it
prospered in the Victorian era to become the center of the city’s high life. Now
its swaths of green punctuated by walkways, sculptures and water features are
the focus of Philadelphia’s freshest cultural, culinary and retail endeavors.
Dozens of new galleries, eateries, stores and spas dot the area.
 The 31-story condo tower is located in
Rittenhouse Square, near Philadelphia’s new galleries, restaurants and shopping. (Click image to enlarge)
Sensitivity to its history called for careful attention to
detail in the new building. The double-height lobby opens onto a conventional
layout of a private garden delineated with a custom, handmade iron fence—a
tradition in these parts. Also, 1706 carefully matches the height of adjacent
towers, a polite tip of the design hat.
Yet Scannapieco and partner Joe Zuritsky have endeavored to
create something up-to-the-minute as well. Limestone blends liberally with
energy-efficient floor-to-ceiling glass to create sleek modernist facades.
Interior ceilings reach 10 feet in the 29 standard floors—11 feet in the
two-story penthouse. Each floor contains only one 4,000-square-foot, column-free
condominium with a private on-call elevator. Finishes may be customized or
selected from packages based on light, dark or moderate colors; woodwork and
granites are by Karen Daroff Design. Prices for the units range from $4 million
to $6.5 million (the penthouse is $12 million).
 The units feature a column-free design and floor-to-ceiling
glass
windows. (Click image to enlarge)
Residents of 1706 will find something else brand-new for this
area: fully automated parking. Owners will drive into a small room, step out and
swipe their card. A German-manufactured mechanism will take the car away to a
safe, secure place among its well-tended neighbors. "No one touches your car at
any point," explains Scannapieco. "No dents, no driver’s dirty feet and absolute
security." When you are ready to leave, the machine returns the car already
turned to face the exit so you’re headed straight down the drive and into the
brand-new heart of old Philadelphia.
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