Rittenhouse Square

Rittenhouse Square is one of Philadelphia’s most recognizable neighborhoods, known for its beautiful public park, historic residential streets, high rise buildings, celebrated restaurants and some of the city’s best known shopping. Located in the western portion of Center City, the neighborhood is centered around Rittenhouse Square Park at 18th and Walnut Streets. The neighborhood offers a distinctive combination of energy and elegance. Around the park, restaurants, cafés, hotels and residential towers create a lively setting throughout the day. Just a few blocks away, quieter streets are lined with brick rowhomes, brownstones, mature trees and carefully preserved architectural details. Living in Rittenhouse Square means being able to walk to many of the places that make Center City appealing. Residents can meet friends for dinner, shop along Walnut and Chestnut Streets, visit a neighborhood café, attend a performance near Broad Street or take an evening walk through the park without needing to get into a car. What Is It Like to Live in Rittenhouse Square? Life in Rittenhouse Square tends to revolve around walking. Residents regularly move between homes, offices, restaurants, grocery stores, fitness studios, parks and cultural destinations on foot. The neighborhood’s central location also makes it possible to reach many other parts of Center City within a relatively short walk. The atmosphere changes depending on the block. The streets immediately surrounding the square have steady pedestrian activity, outdoor dining and visitors enjoying the park. Walnut Street is an active shopping corridor, while nearby Sansom Street contains a dense collection of restaurants and nightlife destinations. Residential streets farther south and west can feel noticeably calmer. This variety is part of what makes the neighborhood interesting. A resident can spend the afternoon among the activity surrounding the park, then return home to a quieter block only a few minutes away. Rittenhouse Square also maintains a strong sense of neighborhood routine despite its central location. People develop relationships with local cafés, shop at the farmers market, walk their dogs in the park and return to the same restaurants and businesses throughout the week. Families Living in Rittenhouse Square Families are part of daily life in Rittenhouse Square, living in everything from traditional townhouses to condominiums in full service buildings. For some households, the neighborhood’s appeal comes from being able to simplify daily routines. Schools, daycare providers, medical offices, grocery stores, libraries, parks and public transportation can all be found within or near the surrounding Center City area. Parents may be able to walk children to school, stop at the park afterward and complete errands without spending much of the day in a car. Rittenhouse Square Park functions as an important gathering place. Families use the lawns and walkways for picnics, informal play, stroller walks and community events. The park’s well known Billy sculpture, commonly called the goat, has become a familiar meeting point for children and caregivers. The Philadelphia City Institute branch of the Free Library sits along the square at 19th and Locust Streets. It offers children’s programming that has included baby and toddler storytimes, crafts, cooking activities, nature clubs and programs for teenagers. Some seasonal library storytimes are even held outside in Rittenhouse Square. The neighborhood also places families close to many of Center City’s museums, theaters and cultural institutions. The Franklin Institute, Academy of Natural Sciences, Barnes Foundation and Philadelphia Museum of Art are all accessible from the neighborhood by walking, transit or a short ride. Public school assignments depend on the specific property address. Buyers should use the School District of Philadelphia’s School Finder to confirm the assigned catchment schools for any home they are considering. Families can also research charter, private, parochial and citywide admission options based on their individual needs. Homes and Architecture Rittenhouse Square offers a broad selection of homes, although the neighborhood is particularly known for historic townhouses, brownstones and condominium buildings. Buyers may encounter: Historic brick rowhomes Grand brownstones and larger townhouses Homes divided into boutique condominium residences Prewar apartment and condominium buildings Modern residential towers Full service luxury condominium buildings Smaller walk up buildings Homes located above street level businesses The housing experience can vary considerably from one property to another. A historic townhouse may offer original fireplaces, decorative molding, tall ceilings and multiple levels of living space. It may also require the maintenance that comes with an older Philadelphia property. A condominium may provide an elevator, front desk, fitness center, building staff, shared outdoor space or on site parking. In exchange, owners generally pay a monthly condominium fee and share responsibility for the building’s common areas and long term maintenance. Larger homes are often found on the neighborhood’s residential blocks, including streets such as Delancey, Pine, Spruce and Locust. High rise residences are concentrated closer to the park and along major streets. There are also smaller condominium buildings tucked into quieter blocks throughout the neighborhood. Private outdoor space varies. Some townhouses have patios, gardens, balconies or roof decks. Condominium buildings may provide terraces, courtyards or shared roof decks instead of private yards. Condominium Living in Rittenhouse Square Condominiums make up a significant part of the Rittenhouse Square real estate market, and the choices range from smaller converted buildings to large towers with extensive services. Buyers comparing buildings should look beyond the appearance of the individual unit. Important considerations include: Monthly condominium fees Services and utilities included in the fee Building reserves Planned assessments Pet policies Rental restrictions Move in and move out fees Parking availability Storage options Front desk and security services Fitness centers and shared amenities Building insurance responsibilities Two similarly priced condominiums can provide very different ownership experiences. One may have a lower monthly fee and fewer amenities, while another may include staff, utilities, maintenance and shared facilities. Understanding those differences is an important part of evaluating value in Rittenhouse Square. Dining, Shopping and Everyday Conveniences Rittenhouse Square is one of Philadelphia’s major dining and shopping destinations. Rittenhouse Row stretches from Broad Street toward 21st Street between the general area of Spruce and Market Streets. It contains more than 200 dining, retail and cultural establishments, including independent boutiques, national retailers, restaurants, cafés, spas and salons. The streets surrounding the park are particularly active during warmer weather, when restaurants open their sidewalk seating and the square fills with residents, visitors and office workers. Dining options range from casual cafés and neighborhood restaurants to longstanding fine dining establishments. Residents also have access to bakeries, specialty food stores, takeout options and everyday services throughout the neighborhood. The year round Rittenhouse Farmers Market operates beside the park and features local produce, meats, dairy products, baked goods, prepared foods and crafts. Its regular presence makes the market part of the neighborhood’s weekly routine rather than simply a seasonal attraction. Walnut and Chestnut Streets provide national shopping and larger retailers, while Sansom Street and the smaller surrounding blocks offer a more concentrated collection of restaurants, independent businesses and nightlife. For groceries and everyday errands, residents can choose from supermarkets, specialty markets, pharmacies, fitness studios, dry cleaners and other services located throughout western Center City. Rittenhouse Square Park The park is the physical and social center of the neighborhood. Rittenhouse Square was included in William Penn and Thomas Holme’s original 1682 plan for Philadelphia. The six acre space has served the public for more than three centuries and remains one of the city’s most heavily used public squares. Today, the park contains lawns, mature trees, benches, walkways, sculptures and a central reflecting pool. It is used for reading, meeting friends, walking dogs, eating lunch and simply watching the activity around the square. The park also hosts community and cultural events. Annual traditions have included fine art and craft shows, while other neighborhood events bring additional activity to the surrounding streets. Unlike a park located on the edge of a neighborhood, Rittenhouse Square is woven directly into everyday life. Residents pass through it on the way to work, meet there before dinner and use it as an informal extension of their living space. The Friends of Rittenhouse Square works with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation to preserve, protect and maintain the park. Transportation and Getting Around Rittenhouse Square is well positioned for walking and public transportation. SEPTA identifies several ways to reach the neighborhood, including Regional Rail through Suburban Station, trolley service at 19th and 22nd Streets and multiple bus routes serving the surrounding area. The Market Frankford Line is accessible along Market Street, while the Broad Street Line can be reached near Broad Street. Regional Rail service at Suburban Station provides connections to destinations throughout the Philadelphia region. Amtrak, additional Regional Rail lines and intercity transportation are available at nearby 30th Street Station. Walking is often the easiest way to travel within the neighborhood. Offices, stores, parks and restaurants are closely grouped, and the traditional street grid makes routes relatively direct. Cycling is another option, with bike lanes and Indego bike share stations available throughout Center City. The Schuylkill River Trail is also within reach from the western side of the neighborhood. Residents who own cars should consider parking carefully. Some homes and condominium units include deeded or leased parking, but many do not. Other options include monthly garage parking, residential permit parking and metered street spaces. History and Neighborhood Character Rittenhouse Square began as one of the five public squares in William Penn’s plan for Philadelphia. The space was originally known as Southwest Square and was later renamed in honor of David Rittenhouse, an astronomer, inventor, mathematician and the first director of the United States Mint. The surrounding area developed into one of Philadelphia’s most prominent residential districts during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Large townhouses, private clubs, churches, schools and cultural institutions contributed to the neighborhood’s architectural character. Over time, apartment and condominium buildings were constructed around the square, creating the mixture of historic streets and high rise living that defines the neighborhood today. The Curtis Institute of Music, Rosenbach Museum and Library and several galleries and performance spaces contribute to the area’s cultural identity. The neighborhood’s proximity to the Avenue of the Arts also gives residents convenient access to concerts, theater, dance and other performances. What Might Surprise You About Rittenhouse Square? Rittenhouse Square is often described primarily in terms of luxury, but daily life in the neighborhood is not limited to formal restaurants and high end shopping. The park is casual, social and used by a broad cross section of the city. On an ordinary day, office workers may eat lunch near parents with strollers, musicians may perform along the walkways and longtime residents may gather on familiar benches. The neighborhood is also more residential than some visitors expect. A person walking only along Walnut Street may see stores, hotels and restaurants. A few blocks south, the surroundings shift to narrow streets, historic homes and a quieter atmosphere. It is this contrast that gives Rittenhouse Square much of its character. The neighborhood can feel polished and metropolitan while still offering the routines and familiarity of a residential community. A Typical Day in Rittenhouse Square A morning might begin with coffee from a neighborhood café followed by a walk through the park. Residents can pick up groceries or local produce at the farmers market, visit shops along Walnut Street or walk to work elsewhere in Center City. Families may stop at the library for a children’s program, spend time in the park or walk toward the museums along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. In the evening, residents can choose from restaurants throughout the neighborhood, attend a performance near Broad Street or meet friends for dinner overlooking the square. The ability to move between everyday errands, recreation, work and entertainment without planning a car trip is one of the defining features of life in Rittenhouse Square. What to Consider Before Buying Rittenhouse Square offers a highly convenient location, but individual blocks and buildings can provide very different experiences. Buyers should consider: Whether they prefer a townhouse or condominium Monthly condominium fees and included services Parking availability and cost Proximity to restaurants and nightlife Street and pedestrian noise Outdoor space Elevator access Building reserves and assessments Historic property maintenance School and daycare locations Distance to public transportation The amount of residential versus commercial activity nearby A property directly overlooking the park offers a different lifestyle from a townhouse several blocks away. One may provide views, building services and immediate access to activity, while the other may offer more privacy, space and a traditional residential setting. Visiting at different times of day can help buyers understand traffic, restaurant activity, street noise and the general rhythm of the block. Is Rittenhouse Square Right for You? Rittenhouse Square may appeal to buyers who value architecture, parks, restaurants, shopping and the ability to walk through much of daily life. The neighborhood provides several ways to live in Center City. Buyers can choose a historic townhouse, a smaller condominium or a residence in a full service tower. Families, individuals, couples and long term city residents can each experience the neighborhood differently depending on the property and block they choose. The central question is not simply whether someone likes Rittenhouse Square. It is whether they prefer the activity immediately surrounding the park, the quieter residential streets nearby or a particular building that provides the services and amenities they value. Explore Rittenhouse Square Real Estate Thinking about buying or selling a home in Rittenhouse Square? We can help you compare its streets and condominium buildings, understand monthly fees and ownership costs, review recent sales and identify the location that best fits your needs.