The Ayer Condominiums: A Buyer’s Guide

210 West Washington Square

Neighborhood: Society Hill/Washington Square West 

The Ayer, located at 210 W. Washington Square just along the border of Society Hill and Washington Square West in Center City Philadelphia, is a boutique luxury condominium building originally constructed in 1929 and converted in 2008. The building contains roughly 50 residences and sits directly overlooking Washington Square.

This is a low-density, full-service luxury building, which puts it in a very different category than most Center City condos.

What You’re Really Getting at The Ayer Condominiums

Residences here are designed more like private homes:

• Large floor plans (typically 1,500–4,500+ sq ft)
• Ceiling heights ~11+ feet
• Oversized windows with park or skyline views
• High-end kitchens (Bulthaup, Sub-Zero, Miele)
• Stone bathrooms and custom finishes

Building services include:

• 24-hour concierge and doorman
• Valet-style services
• Fitness center and terrace
• On-site garage parking (often included)

This is a true white-glove, boutique building, not a high-rise volume play.

Who This Building Works For

The Ayer typically attracts buyers who:

• Want privacy and low density (?50 units total)
• Value Washington Square views and location
• Are downsizing but still want large square footage
• Prefer boutique luxury over high-rise living

This is a thin, high-end buyer pool, which directly affects pricing and timing.

Where Buyers Might Hesitate

Serious buyers usually focus on:

• Limited resale data (few transactions per year)
• Higher condo fees tied to services
• Niche buyer pool at resale

All valid—and all part of how this building trades.

Market Insight: What’s Actually Happening

Recent activity shows a wide but consistent luxury band:

• Recent resale: ~$1.44M (2025) for ~1,679 sq ft (~$860/SF)
• Active listings: ~$1.5M–$2.0M+
• Larger luxury sale: $2.6M (2023) (~$1,186/SF)
• Estimated mid-units: ~$700–$950/SF range depending on size/finish
  

What stands out

• Wide price-per-square-foot range (custom units)
• Low transaction volume (not many comps)
• Premium tied to view + size + layout

Ayer Market Trend Snapshot (12–24 Months)

What This Means 

This building does not behave like the broader Philadelphia condo market:

• Pricing is unit-specific, not comp-driven
• Buyers are fewer—but more deliberate
• Well-positioned units still command strong pricing
• Overpriced units can sit (thin buyer pool)

How The Ayer Compares

Buyers at this level are typically choosing between:

• boutique buildings like The Ayer (privacy, space)
• larger luxury towers (more amenities, less privacy)
• Rittenhouse Square high-rises (more liquidity, less uniqueness)

The trade-off is clear:

privacy + space + location vs. liquidity + broader demandBottom Line

If your priority is space, privacy, and a premier Washington Square location, The Ayer is one of the more distinctive luxury options in the 19106 zip code.

But this is a specialized market—not every unit trades the same, and pricing precision matters.

Before You Buy or Sell at The Ayer

Most buyers and sellers underestimate how much variation exists within this building.

If you want, I can break down:

• Which units consistently command premiums
• Where buyers are pushing back on pricing
• How this building compares to other luxury options nearby

No pressure—just useful insight.

Our Take

The Ayer is a rare blend of old and new, finished unlike any other building in town. The scale of each home is larger than most, regardless of square footage. It’s our favorite building on Washington Square. If you were looking for a unique space along with a helping of peace and quiet, then the Ayer should be on your list of condos to consider-the lack of alternatives should clear the mind, wonderfully.

Mark Wade
BHHS Fox and Roach Realtors®
CenterCityCondos.com
267.237.3404 | Mark@CenterCity.com