A rare slice of Gilded Age Philadelphia is about to change hands, and possibly its purpose entirely.
The Edward C. Knight Mansion, tucked just off Rittenhouse Square at 1629 Locust St., is heading to auction this month, Ryan Mulligan writes for the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Designed by Horace Trumbauer — the architect behind some of the city’s most storied addresses — the mansion was built in 1902 for railroad executive Edward C. Knight Jr.
More than a century later, the five-story, roughly 9,000-square-foot building has spent recent years as boutique office space.
But its next chapter could look completely different. A private residence, luxury condos, an apartment conversion, or even a gallery or museum space worthy of its bones are all potential options.
The property is listed at $2.95 million through Kurfiss Sotheby’s International Realty. The auction is running from June 17-30 with starting bids expected between $1 million and $1.75 million.
Inside, the mansion’s centerpiece is a jaw-dropping four-story marble staircase, the kind of architectural statement that simply doesn’t get built anymore.
Outside, ornate wrought-iron gates and balconies give the building an unmistakable old-Philadelphia presence, the sort that stops passersby mid-stride.
Listing agent Melanie Stecura doesn’t mince words about what’s on offer.
The building’s scale, location, and pedigree, she says, could make it “a really phenomenal deal for someone,” provided the buyer is ready to take on a major renovation.
Her assessment of its place in the city’s architectural history is even more direct.
She calls 1629 Locust “the most fantastic actual residence that Horace Trumbauer built in Philadelphia proper,” adding simply, “This was the townhouse of all townhouses.”
For more on the mansion’s history and the upcoming auction, read the Philadelphia Business Journal.
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