Architects in Philadelphia transformed a mid-19th century row house listed on the Philadelphia Historical Registry, turning a once-divided condominium into a single-family home for a couple with three children. The project, led by Krieger + Associates Architects, faced constraints from strict preservation codes, pandemic-era construction delays, and a tight urban lot.
The clients had been living in a cramped three-story condo in Philadelphia before jumping at the chance to buy the historic structure, which dated to the 1860s. When they first discovered the building, the property had been split into separate condominium units between the first and second floors.
Only the first-floor was initially for sale.
The couple approached the second-floor owner and managed to buy that space, with the goal of joining the two separate living areas.
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How a Historical Registry listing shaped the renovation
Dealing with the preservation codes became one of the project’s central hurdles. The architects had to submit plans for review before any work could begin. Changes to the exterior — even paint color and window replacements — required approval from the city’s historical commission. This limited the scope of visual changes.
The building had changed significantly from its original 19th-century form, according to them. The team worked to strip back later renovations and return the structure to something closer to its original look. They preserved the vaulted ceilings and as many of the original timber trusses as possible, which was a priority for both the client and them. Parking in downtown Philadelphia is notoriously tight, so the client insisted on keeping the home’s existing parking space.
Pandemic construction and a cracked stone wall
Construction started during the pandemic, which introduced logistical problems on site. The renovation’s small footprint on a tight urban corner forced the team to find creative ways to keep moving forward. They also encountered structural issues, including a large crack in the 1860s load-bearing stone wall that had to be repaired.
To open up the space between the two-story townhouse and the attached carriage barn, the firm removed load-bearing walls and installed steel beams and columns. They reimagined the layout to find a suitable spot for a new internal staircase connecting the first and second floors. A full bathroom was added upstairs, all while respecting the historic character of the home.
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Shifting the kitchen and adding a 10-person bar
Inside, the kitchen was reworked to eliminate steel posts that had been sitting in the middle of the kitchen aisle. The new layout also created access to a new outdoor patio. The entertainment space was expanded to include a 10-person bar. Despite the home’s compact footprint, the design carved out a den or music room, an exercise room, and a powder room.
The carriage barn presented its own challenges. It was built on a concrete slab on grade, which had to be repoured to move utilities inside. Workers restored the original woodwork, removed a large mechanical unit from the roof, and added skylights for natural light. The entire second floor was gutted and rebuilt into a primary suite with a bedroom, bathroom, and walk-in closet, plus three kids’ bedrooms and two full bathrooms.
Outside work and final approvals
On the exterior, they applied fresh paint, completed structural repairs to the stone wall, added a new entrance, and enclosed a small patio and courtyard for privacy and usability. The process required collaboration with the homeowner, structural engineers, preservation specialists, a builder, and the historical commission. The homeowners handled the interior design themselves after the renovation was completed.
The couple offered a testimonial afterward: “My family and I love our renovated home and are grateful to have had the opportunity to work with you. Your appreciation of our home’s historical significance, while designing a layout that would make this house a comfortable home for our family, was evident throughout the planning process.” The architects said they value that kind of feedback and are pleased when clients are satisfied with the final result.
