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Each dwelling unit type in Merchants' Row is unique. Each has been designed in relation to a specific location within the existing historical buildings. Each of these locations relates to a specific orientation to the city. The names the dwelling unit types reflect their location and orientation: Arch Street Loft, Center Court Loft, Corner Loft, Brownstone Loft Front, Brownstone Loft Rear, Brownstone Duplex Front, Brownstone Duplex Court, and Brownstone Duplex Rear. Prior to restoration, the buildings on this important urban corner, like so many others in Philadelphia, had been abandoned. Windows on the ground floor were boarded up and covered with posters. Cast iron and brick surfaces were coated in a dull dark-green paint. The brownstone façade of 57 N. Third Street was severely eroded, and its openings had been filled in with concrete block and stucco. View "Brownstone Restoration"... The cast iron pilasters of 61-63 N. Third had become loosened from their sub-structure and could easily be moved back and forth by hand. There were few clues remaining to ascertain the original storefronts. Read the essay "Cast Iron in Architecture" by Richard Wesley. Published in The Old City Historic District: A Guide for Property Owners, Philadelphia Historical Commission, 2004... |