The Rittenhouse Plaza
1901 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19103
Snapshot
Rittenhouse Plaza At a Glance
| FEATURE | DETAIL |
|---|---|
| Year Completed |
1925 |
| Residences |
120 |
| Parking | Some on-site Available |
| Pets | Pet Friendly |
1901 Walnut St. is not a condo building; it is a Co-Op. Buyers love the pre-war details and the wide variety of sizes and styles available. Monthly fees INCLUDE taxes. Most buyers agree that the Plaza houses some of the coolest penthouse units in Philly. There is a secure parking area (loading zone) out front of the Plaza, and door attendants are available to help with packages, etc. There are meticulous details in the grand Art Deco style lobby that buyers find impressive.
Listings
Outline
Unlike most luxury residential buildings in Center City, The Plaza at 1901 Walnut Street is a cooperative (co-op) rather than a condominium. While the ownership structure differs from that of a condo, many buyers are drawn to the building for its historic character, prestigious Rittenhouse Square location, and architectural details that simply cannot be replicated in modern construction. One advantage unique to co-op ownership at The Plaza is that the monthly fee includes the property’s real estate taxes, making budgeting more predictable.
Built in 1925, the Plaza is Philadelphia’s standard-bearer for pre-war co-op living. Walk into the lobby and the Art Deco pedigree is obvious — soaring ceilings, period detail, the kind of entrance that still stops people. Door attendants are on duty around the clock, handling packages and guests the way a building at this address should. What sets the Plaza apart is the sheer inconsistency of its floor plans — and that’s a compliment. Decades of combinations and renovations here mean almost no two units match. You’ll find compact one-bedrooms next to sprawling multi-bedroom spreads, each shaped by whoever last renovated it. The building splits into two lines: D, E, and F units on the west side, A, B, and C on the east. But treat that as a rough map, not a rulebook — custom work over the decades has blurred the lines between them. The penthouses are the draw for many of the buyers I work with — big footprints, real entertaining space, and gorgeous views over the Square and the skyline.
There’s a secure loading area right at the entrance for deliveries and move-ins. If you want the architecture and craftsmanship you can’t get in a new build, the Plaza belongs on your list.
Quick Sales Stats
2024: 7 Sales, Top Price $1,822,592
2023: 7 Sales, Top Price $895,000
2022: 9 Sales, Top Price $1,709,200
2021: 8 Sales, Top Price $1,610,000
2020: 3 Sales, Top Price $855,000
2019: 4 Sales, Top Price $2,100,000
2018: 5 Sales, Top Price $1,050,000
2017: 8 Sales, Top Price $1,300,000
2016: 7 Sales, Top Price $950,000
*Detailed sales data for every unit at The Rittenhouse Plaza is available upon request.
Two Cents
The Plaza is the only pre-war high-end co-op building in town. Sitting on the north side of Rittenhouse Square, 1901 was built in the late 1920s and retained many nods to the Deco style. The building could be split down the middle as the West side of the building houses the “D, E, and F” unit, and the east side houses the “A, B, and C” units. Many alterations to a substantial percentage of the units over time give rise to the fact that there is an overwhelming number of floorplans- many units added to and divided up over time.
The building is a co-op and not a condo building meaning taxes are included in the monthly fees as is heat, water & sewer, doorman, insurance, building maintenance, and management. I have a few friends in the building, and I’ve sold close to a dozen units over the past 24 years. I think the Plaza was smart to do some heavy and nearly completed renovation work that many older buildings often need. This kind of forward-thinking and maintenance work will indeed preserve values over time and ensure a smoothly operated building. Management has always helped answer questions and help with items needed to convey units at 1901 Walnut St. Because the building is a co-op, you do indeed have to go in front of the board to be interviewed. You may be rejected-it is the board’s prerogative. And know that The Plaza has a very restrictive rental policy in place to keep the owner-occupancy ratios exceedingly high, which I think is suitable for the building. If pre-war is your thing, then you really should see some units at the Plaza. The most prevalent style is the “C” and “F” styles which are Two bed, Two bath units with large kitchens and formal dining rooms. These styled units can be a terrific value- especially when fully rehabbed. I think these units are currently undervalued for the marketplace, and we will see a surge in the prices of those units over time. The Penthouse units at the Plaza are nothing short of astonishing. Besides perhaps the (rental) Drake Tower at 1512 Spruce St- The Plaza at 1901 Walnut has the most stunning penthouse units in town. They rival many NYC penthouses. They indeed rock. They are mansions in the sky—bi-level townhouses in the air, no less.
Recent Sales
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Photos
Floorplans
