The historic Rittenhouse Plaza, an extraordinary 120-unit “Classic Six” apartment building designed in 1925 by McLanahan & Bencker, underwent a sensitive renovation and restoration to improve the quality of its public lobby and back-of-house spaces. The central lobby resumed its historic role as the welcoming front door on Rittenhouse Square, with the concierge station returned to its original location. Also relocated to this area was the residents’ mail room and package storage to meet the daily needs of the residents in one central location.

Extensive analysis revealed the long-forgotten original paint scheme of the lobby, which was restored along with the adjacent elevator lobbies. Lighting was sensitively added to improve visibility and to highlight the impressive plaster ceiling. The management office and conference room were relocated to an underutilized area of the building and finished to fit the character of the adjacent public spaces. All forty residential elevator halls were also renovated to accommodate life-safety upgrades such as sprinklers, addressable alarms, and fire-rated doors that replicated the unique appearance of the originals, all while restoring the terrazzo floors and color scheme. As a result of these programmatic moves and sensitive rehabilitation efforts, the building is now safer and more functional, while having successfully recaptured its original splendor.

Awards

AIA Philadelphia Chapter, Merit Award, 2014
Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, Grand Jury Award, 2014