The Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

The Hoopskirt Lofts at 313 Arch Street in Old City gives you custom contemporary amenities in one of Philly's most storied zip codes.

The History: According to Urban Living 360, "the Hoopskirt Factory was built in 1875 as a Victorian petticoat factory. It was restored in the 1970's."

The Goods: Hardwood floors and spiral staircases are just some of the charming loft touches that you'll find at the Hoopskirt. Have your choice of custom finishings in the bi-level units overlooking historic Old City streets. Kohler fixtures, exposed brick walls, and your choice of European bathroom tiling. Choose from Studio, One-bedroom, Two-bedroom or Penthouse units ranging from 600 - 2,000 square feet.

In the Neighborhood:

Old City is the true soul of Philadelphia, with historical figures walking by you along its streets on a daily basis. While the whimsy of Philadelphia's past still lingers, Old City has also become the modern design enthusiast's playground. It is on these streets that furniture studios and the latest designer fashions keep step with galleries and museums. Cafe Ole is a coffee hub and the outdoor tables are a sun-seeker's delight. Sweat Gym and Ironworks cater to the fitness buffs mere blocks from each other, and Moko promises you the ultimate in cut and color at their sustainable salon and skincare spa. Transportation is easy with access to the Market Frankford Line and several bus routes nearby. Or walk downtown in minutes and enjoy the buzz of the city.

The Hoopskirt Lofts

313 Arch Street

Read more about Philadelphia condominiums with our Condo Source.

You'll have to wait until Wednesday, when Apartment Therapy hosts a meetup at Mexican Post in Old City. We just saw on Philadelphia Weekly's Style blog that the all things home design site is coming to town. While we worship AT for their wide coverage, which gives us a sense of what everyone else in the country is up to, interior-wise, we do wish they had a Philadelphia section. We're not alone here. Every now and then we see clients or people we know that are featured on the site, and it's always fun to read and see pictures of Philadelphia dwellings.

What will they be doing at Mexican Post, besides sipping margaritas? They'll tackle your dilemmas in a Q&A session. Are you so excited that you just glanced around the room to find all of the potential things that are wrong with it? Good, now go seek some help. The event starts at 6:30 pm.

If you have a burning decor or design-related question any other time, leave it to us! Ever since launching our new real estate collective with Voila Design, we've been knee deep in color schemes, decor trends, and Philly's local resources for furniture and refurbishing. If we can't answer, we can definitely steer you towards the right person.

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Crafty Couples in Fishtown

We've spent hours traipsing along the Third Street Corridor - it has the historic charms of Old City with the burgeoning fashion and design of the 21st century. You might expect gift shops in an area where tours and travelers abound, but you'll actually find the latest designer clothing and plenty of salons that will give you an edgy new haircut. The businesses of 3rd Street are not focused on selling tchochke. What can they do for you? Oh, let us count the ways.

So many Philadelphians call Old City home. While it's not immediately apparent, there are several condos and apartments in the area that maintain their classic exteriors but are ultra modern inside. What do these hip Old City dwellers do here?

They meet over coffee at Cafe Ole, a quirky corner shop that gets plenty of sun on its outdoor tables, and serves amazing breakfasts, Mediterranean platters, and salads to patrons who camp out here. While the streetscape is certainly busy, it isn't as over-populated or frenzied as a Center City cafe sidewalk would be. The coffee is strong and the staff is quick. Nearby storeowners swear by the sandwiches.

Cafe Ole

147 North 3rd Street

At Moko Salon, your "me time" connects with your green side and you walk out feeling refreshed and at your best. The ayurvedic facials help you understand your skin and its needs, and you can leave with amazing products made from essential oils that won't feel harsh on your skin. Natural hair color and makeup are applied so expertly, it's hard to go anywhere else. It's one of the best organic salons on the East Coast and it's right here on 3rd Street in Philadelphia.

Moko

55 N 3rd Street

Brighten up your stroll with an eco-friendly floral arrangement from Hana and Posy, where you can always count on a variety of candles, recycled paper cards, and other green gifts.

Hana and Posy

35 North 3rd Street

Shop Sugarcube, Matthew Izzo, and Third Street Habit for the latest in both men's and women's fashion. And many locals have made it a habit...they always end up on Third Street for designers that they can't find elsewhere. Izzo also carries a second floor of furniture. For shoes, J Karma has colorful and unique styles with accessories to match.

Sugarcube

124 North Third Street

Matthew Izzo

151 North Third Street

Third Street Habit

153 North Third Street

J Karma

62 North 3rd Street

For contemporary furniture,a visit to Minima is a must. Old City has a ton of furniture, mostly modern, and this is one of our favorites.

Minima

118 North 3rd Street

Art in the Age is one of Philly's most innovative shops. They pair with artists for specially made items like t-shirts, totes, and soaps. For clothing, housewares, and gifts, it's hard not to make a creative choice here.

Art in the Age of Mechanical Production

116 North 3rd Street

The Old City Cheese Shop is known for its hideaway garden seating in the back - a retreat where you can enjoy french press coffee, panini, cheese plates, or brunch and get away from it all. It's a case of the simple things, sold by friendly personalities, that are special and worth checking out.

Old City Cheese Shop

160 North 3rd Street

Explore more about Life in Old City. Ready to search for Old City properties?

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The future of beds is coming to Old City. Starting this Friday, June 4, you can shop at Hollandia International, a new bed and furniture store on 3rd Street. Stop by for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 am and get a look at the PLATINUM-LUXE™ Advanced Sleep System.

What is so cutting edge about this bed system? The Hollandia latex mattress and adjustable base have all of the comforting features that you could want in a bed - a soft side and a firm side to suit your preference, antimicrobial and hypoallergenic material, a sturdy bed frame with pneumatic controls and 12 massage programs, and more. The futuristic-looking beds are something you must check out, whether you are shopping for your next bed or you're just a design geek.

Hollandia will also stock bedding, pillows, space-saving solutions, and recliners.

Welcome to the 3rd Street Corridor, Hollandia International.

Hollandia International

149 N 3rd Street

[photo credit: Hollandia International]

Explore more about Life in Old City. Ready to search for Old City properties?

On a walk through Old City this evening we had our first sighting of one of the giant Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby vehicles. Next to Radicchio Cafe on 4th Street, we saw a group of crafty participants putting the final touches on their ride - a quite impressive one, at that. With colorful tubing rounding out the body and bicycles as wheels, it looks like a confident entry for tomorrow's annual Derby.This is no doubt one of the coolest things that happens in Philly each year. Do not miss it.

Related:

Go for the Glory at the Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby

Carmelita Couture is Old City's newest fashion house. The private collection come in bold patterns like zebra (which the store's owner wore easily in a jumpsuit style) and plastic raincoats with bell sleeves from Philly designer Carmelita Martell. It takes an intrepid woman to pull of these eye-catching and body-conscious designs, and we have no doubt that Philadelphia's uniquely dressed can wear it well. This shop is a treasure trove of vinyl dresses, catsuits, boleros, and what is described as "fashion candy."

Our favorite leggy looks:

The nude Grecian Romper by day. It comes in teal or nude. We would do a flat gladiator sandal with this to make it more casual. The Stretch Sequin Dress by night. Smokey eyes and some tough heeled sandals.

Carmelita Couture

17 N 3rd Street

Philadelphia, PA 19106

[photo credit: Carmelita Couture]

Old City is one of our favorite shopping destinations - it's the independent businesses that draw our attention with designers that we don't see elsewhere, and the friendly store owners that keep us coming back. This weekend, from 11 am - 6pm, the Old City Sidewalk Sale and Stroll will feature over 50 merchants with outdoor sales to make spending the afternoon here even more enticing. Add to that plenty of extras: trunk shows, door prizes, live street music, and complimentary cocktails.

Make sure to check out Hana & Posy, an eco-friendly flower and gift shop that will be giving flower arrangement demos on the sidewalk.

It'll be Beach Season at Third Street Habit, our go-to source for designer denim and fun sandals. They'll be hawking summery tunics and beach bags for your getaway needs.

Explore more about Life in Old City. Ready to search for Old City properties?

Old City is one of Philly's many gallery hubs. The latest is LGTripp Gallery at 47-49 N. 2nd St. (at Cuthbert). The gallery celebrates its opening with the exhibit PREMIERE, which will focus on abstract art. Work from the following artists will be shown:

Jung Wha Ahn

Stephen Blackburn

Seonglan Kim Boyce

Paul Fabozzi

Fuentes Ferrin

David Foss

Rebecca Jacoby(shown)

Jon Manteau

Michelle Marcuse

Catherine O'Connell

Alex Queral

Miriam Singer

Donna Usher

Plamen Veltchev

PREMIERE, March 26-April 24 Opening Reception, Saturday March 27, 3-6pm

Explore more about Life in Old City. Ready to search for Old City properties?

1 Bedroom Condo Unit for Sale in Old City Philadelphia

Call The Somers 215-400-2620, RE/MAX Access, Northern Liberties, Philadelphia

50 N Front Street 406 - Photo Gallery

This 1 bedroom condo for sale in Old City, is FHA Friendly and located on the 4^th floor (back) of the Historic River Church building (named after Church Street and the DE River).

Conveniently located amongst the nostalgia and culture of the gallery and restaurant district, this beautifully appointed condo offers a modern space with old world charm.

A fully loaded kitchen with granite counters and stainless appliances overlooks the living and dining area.

There is a spacious bedroom with ample closets and a beautiful bath. This condo offers a huge common roof deck with panoramic views of the river, Penn's Landing and the entire Philadelphia and Camden city scape.

Other great features of this condo include:

• Elevator access to each floor
• washer and dryer included
• central air
• video phone system hardwired to the secure entry door

This 1 bedroom condo for sale in Old City offers you the affordability and life-style that can only be found in one of the most progressive districts in Philadelphia. 5 yrs on Tax Abatement. We welcome your visit.

TheSomersTeam.com

215-400-2620

Remax Access, Northern Liberties

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If interested in buying or selling properties in Philadelphia, contact Chris and Stephanie Somers at thesomersteam@yahoo.com or 215-400-2612. For investment properties, check out our new investor site at Philly Investor Hub! If interested in checking out our new office in Northern Liberties, let us know !

The Somers Team - Philadelphia Real Estate

Search the MLS Properties Here in Philadelphia

Areas of specialty include: Northern Liberties, Old City, Center City, Fishtown, Graduate Hospital, Art Museum, Queen Village, Pennsport, Old Kensington, Port Richmond, Bridesburg, Society Hill, Loft District, Spring Garden and more !

Old City is a preserved historic district that contains many of Philadelphia's most famous and widely visited attractions. The area still maintains an urban edge with fashion boutiques and salons, arthouse movie theaters, a thriving community of art galleries and design stores, and an array of dining options. Salons and furniture shops are aplenty. The Franklin Fountain ice cream parlor is an old-fashioned crowd favorite, particularly in the summer. You will find your cheesesteaks, but you will also find acclaimed restaurants such as Zahav and Morimoto.

The riverside neighborhood has access to the Market-Frankford line and is a short walk to the attractions of Northern Liberties. The historic architecture and cobblestone that still remains on many streets give Old City a charming feel. There are many tiny alleys and horse-drawn carriages still populate the streets along with the zippy Mazda 3's and giant SEPTA buses. Old City hosts First Friday at the beginning of every month, for new art exhibitions at the many galleries.

Ready to search for Old City properties?


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