Philadelphia Apartment Rental Leasing Office: 215.351.1535

If you stroll down Letitia Street, home of Waterfront I, it would be like taking a walk back in time. This is one of the oldest streets in America, dating back to when old city Philadelphia was the center of activity in the new nation. In fact, Letitia Street was named for the daughter of Pennsylvania's founding father, William Penn. In 18th century Philadelphia, small streets usually served two purposes: commercial and residential. Business was conducted on the first floor and the upper floors served as residences for the merchants and businessmen. By the mid-19th century, as Old City continued to prosper as a port and center for commerce, many of the smaller colonial-era structures were razed and replaced by taller buildings that were more appropriate for manufacturing and warehousing.

The three buildings that comprise Waterfront I 31, 33 and 35 Letitia Street were actually constructed in the early 1870's and served a variety of commercial purposes for most of the next 100 years. By the late 1970's, many of the old buildings in Old City had outlived their usefulness and the area became a graveyard of rundown properties. A new development company, Historic Landmarks for Living, had the revolutionary notion that many of these rundown relics could be transformed into luxurious loft apartment residences.

The three buildings on Letitia Street were revitalized by Historic Landmarks and became Waterfront I in 1979, followed by nine other architecturally significant and historically certified properties on neighboring streets. Almost overnight, new cafes and boutiques opened in Old City, other developers came in to redevelop rundown buildings, and soon historic Old City was the hottest place to live in Philadelphia.

The revolution started by Historic Landmarks has led to an exciting evolution. Today, the dynamic growth continues in Old City, and residents of Waterfront I are right in the center of it all.

Philadelphia Apartment Rental Leasing Office: 215.351.1535