245 S 3rd St
Description
In the late 1950s, the City of Philadelphia handed architect I.M. Pei one of the most consequential urban design commissions in American history: the transformation of a derelict food market at the edge of Society Hill into a new model for city living. Pei, the architect who would later stun Paris with the Louvre Pyramid, reshape the National Mall with the East Building of the...There are few addresses in Philadelphia where architecture and history meet as seamlessly as they do at 245 S 3rd Street.
In the late 1950s, the City of Philadelphia handed architect I.M. Pei one of the most consequential urban design commissions in American history: the transformation of a derelict food market at the edge of Society Hill into a new model for city living. Pei, the architect who would later stun Paris with the Louvre Pyramid, reshape the National Mall with the East Building of the National Gallery of Art, and reimagine the Hong Kong skyline with the Bank of China Tower, designed this home.
Pei's solution for Society Hill was a masterwork of urban intelligence. He positioned his trio of soaring concrete towers close to the Delaware River, then designed a series of three-story townhouses — planned around private courtyard quadrangles — to create a seamless, unhurried transition from his modernist towers to the colonial row houses of one of America's oldest neighborhoods. The result earned the AIA Honor Award in 1965 and a place in the Museum of Modern Art's landmark exhibition "Modern Architecture, USA" that same year. Architectural historians regard it as one of the defining achievements of postwar American urbanism.
Step through the deep-set arched entryway — a signature Pei gesture that frames the threshold as a moment of arrival — and the architecture takes over. Flemish bond brick, laid with the precision Pei demanded of every project, meets interior oak floors and oak casework that have only deepened in warmth over six decades. Blackened steel details punctuate the palette with characteristic modernist restraint. At the top of the home, clerestory windows — a deliberate echo of the gridded concrete facades of the towers above — draw light down through the full height of the house, morning to evening, season to season. And beyond the rear of the home, your own private courtyard: enclosed by brick walls and iron gates, designed to turn away from the city and toward calm — the kind of protected stillness that makes urban living genuinely livable. Just beyond, an assigned parking space positioned directly adjacent to the courtyard offers a rare level of convenience and privacy in this setting.
Homes of genuine architectural pedigree are rare at any price. A home designed by a Pritzker Prize laureate, part of a project in the MoMA permanent record, in one of the country's most celebrated historic neighborhoods, is an opportunity that seldom presents itself.
Listing Agent
![Marion Dinofa]()
P: (610)-914-1144
Property Details for 245 South 3rd Street
Property Details for 245 South 3rd Street
| Status | Active |
|---|---|
| MLS # | PAPH2615988 |
| Days on Market | 9 |
| Taxes | $16,860 / year |
| HOA Fees | $600 / year |
| Condo/Co-op Fees | - |
| Property Type | Townhouse |
| MLS Type | Residential / Fee Simple |
| Year Built | 1963 |
| Lot Size | 0.03 AC / 1,345 SF |
| County | Philadelphia County |
| Buyer's Agent Compensation | 2.5% |
Location
Building Information for 245 South 3rd Street
Payment Calculator
$8,933 per month
30 year fixed, 6.46% Interest
$7,478
$1,405
$50
Know your buying power with a preapproval and custom rate in minutes
1Property Information for 245 South 3rd Street
- School District Name: THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA
- School District County ID: 300200397108
- SchoolDistrictSource: Listing Agent
- County: PHILADELPHIA
- MLS Area: 19106 (19106)
- Water View: No
- Water Access: No
- Water Oriented: No
- Navigable Water: No
- Tidal Water: No
- Riparian Rights Y/N: No
- HOA Condo Coop Fee Includes: Common Area Maintenance, Snow Removal, Insurance
- Senior Community: No
- Type of Condo: Home Owner Association
- Tax Year: 2026
- Tax Assessed Value: $1,204,500
- Year Assessed: 2026
- County Tax: $0
- Improvement Assessed Value: $963,600
- City Town Tax: $7,418
- Land Assessed Value: $240,900
- Clean Green Assessed: No
- Land Use Code: O50
- Zoning: RSA5
- Tax Lot: 1602
- School Tax: $9,442
- Automatically Update Tax Values Y/N: Yes
- # Bedrooms Count Main Level: 0
- # Bathrooms Count Main Level: 1
- # Bathrooms Full Main Level: 0
- # Bathrooms Half Main Level: 1
- # Bedrooms Count All Upper Levels: 2
- # Bathrooms Count All Upper Levels: 3
- # Bathrooms Full All Upper Levels: 2
- # Bathrooms Half All Upper Levels: 1
- # Bathrooms Count Upper Level: 1
- # Bathrooms Half Upper Level: 1
- # Bedrooms Count Upper Level: 2
- # Bathrooms Count Upper Level: 2
- # Bathrooms Full Upper Level: 2
- # Bathrooms Half Upper Level: 0
- # Bedrooms All Lower Levels: 1
- # Bathrooms All Lower Levels: 1
- # Bathrooms Full All Lower Levels: 1
- # Bedrooms Lower Level: 1
- # Bathrooms Lower Level: 1
- # Bathrooms Full Lower Level: 1
- Room List: Living Room, Dining Room, Primary Bedroom, Bedroom 2, Kitchen, Family Room
- Stories: Lower 1, Main, Upper 1, Upper 2
- Room Type: Dining Room
- Room Length: 0.0
- Room Width: 0.0
- Room Level: Main
- Room Exists: Yes
- Room Dimensions: 0 X 0
- Room Type: Primary Bedroom
- Room Level: Unspecified
- Room Exists: Yes
- Room Type: Bedroom 2
- Room Length: 0.0
- Room Width: 0.0
- Room Level: Lower 1
- Room Exists: Yes
- Room Dimensions: 0 X 0
- Room Type: Kitchen
- Room Length: 0.0
- Room Width: 0.0
- Room Level: Main
- Room Exists: Yes
- Room Dimensions: 0 X 0
- Room Features: Kitchen - Gas Cooking
- Room Type: Living Room
- Room Length: 0.0
- Room Width: 0.0
- Room Level: Upper 1
- Room Exists: Yes
- Room Dimensions: 0 X 0
- Room Type: Family Room
- Room Level: Upper 1
- Room Exists: Yes
- Total Finished SQFT: 2,520.00
- Total Finished SQFT Source: Assessor
- Tax Total Finished SQFT: 2,520.00
- Total SQFT: 2,520.00
- Total SQFT Source: Assessor
- Construction Materials: Brick
- Basement Type: Full, Partially Finished
- Foundation Details: Slab
- Room and Floor: Bathrooms Half-Main Level-1, Bedrooms-Lower Level 1-1, Bathrooms Full-Lower Level 1-1, Bathrooms Half-Upper Level 1-1, Bedrooms-Upper Level 2-1, Bedrooms-Upper Level 2-2, Bathrooms Full-Upper Level 2-1, Bathrooms Full-Upper Level 2-2
- # Bathrooms Full: 3
- # Bathrooms Half: 2
- Other Structure: Above Grade, Below Grade
- Lot Size Source: Assessor
- Lot Size Dimensions: 20.00 x 67.00
- Lot Dimensions Source: Assessor
- Parcel ID: 904999
- Type Of Parking: Parking Lot
- Parking Lot - # of Spaces: 1
- Number of Assigned Spaces: 1
- Parking Features: Assigned
- Interior Features: Dining Area
- Fireplace: Yes
- Fireplaces Count: 1
- Accessibility Features: None
- Laundry Type: Lower Floor
- Pool: No Pool
- Heating: Yes
- Cooling Type: Central A/C
- Cooling Fuel: Electric
- Heating Type: Forced Air
- Heating Fuel: Natural Gas
- Hot Water: Natural Gas
- Water Source: Public
- Sewer Septic: Public Sewer
- List Agent AOR: Tri-County Suburban REALTORS
Property History for 245 South 3rd Street
| Date | Event & Source | Price | Appreciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 9, 2026 | Listed (Active) BRIGHT #PAPH2615988 | $1,485,000 | — |
| Mar 15, 2005 | Closed (Public Record) Public Record #239810486 | $960,000 | — |
| Mar 15, 2005 | Closed BRIGHT #PAPH215030 | $960,000 | — |
| Nov 14, 2004 | Pending BRIGHT #PAPH215030 | — | |
| Nov 10, 2004 | Listed (Active) BRIGHT #PAPH215030 | $1,025,000 | — |
| Date | Event & Source | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 05/09/2026 | Listed (Active) BRIGHT #PAPH2615988 | $1,485,000 |
| 03/15/2005 | Closed (Public Record) Public Record #239810486 | $960,000 |
| 03/15/2005 | Closed BRIGHT #PAPH215030 | $960,000 |
| 11/14/2004 | Pending BRIGHT #PAPH215030 | — |
| 11/10/2004 | Listed (Active) BRIGHT #PAPH215030 | $1,025,000 |
For completeness, Compass often displays two records for one sale: the MLS record and the public record.
Public Records for 245 South 3rd Street
Schools near 245 South 3rd Street
Rating | School | Type | Grades | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public - | K to 8 | |||
| Public - | 9 to 12 | |||
| Public - | 9 to 12 | |||
| Public - | 9 to 12 |
Rating | School | Distance |
|---|---|---|
McCall Gen George A School PublicK to 8 | ||
Franklin Benjamin High School Public9 to 12 | ||
Constitution High School Public9 to 12 | ||
Academy At Palumbo Public9 to 12 |
School ratings and boundaries are provided by GreatSchools.org and Pitney Bowes. This information should only be used as a reference. Proximity or boundaries shown here are not a guarantee of enrollment. Please reach out to schools directly to verify all information and enrollment eligibility.
Neighborhood Map and Transit
Similar Homes
Explore Nearby Homes
- Callowhill Homes for Sale
- Center City Homes for Sale
- Chinatown Homes for Sale
- Elfreth's Alley Homes for Sale
- Franklin Bridge North Neighbors Homes for Sale
- Market East Homes for Sale
- Northern Liberties Homes for Sale
- Old City Homes for Sale
- Old City-Society Hill Homes for Sale
- Penn's Landing Homes for Sale
- Queen Village Homes for Sale
- Society Hill Homes for Sale
- Washington Square West Homes for Sale
- Avenue of the Arts South Homes for Sale
- Center City East Homes for Sale
- Philadelphia Homes for Sale
- Camden Homes for Sale
- Pennsauken Homes for Sale
- Gloucester City Homes for Sale
- Woodlynne Homes for Sale
- Collingswood Homes for Sale
- Haddon Township Homes for Sale
- Merchantville Homes for Sale
- Westville Homes for Sale
- Oaklyn Homes for Sale
- Cherry Hill Homes for Sale
- Westmont Homes for Sale
- Brooklawn Homes for Sale
- Audubon Homes for Sale
- Yeadon Homes for Sale
- 19123 Homes for Sale
- 08102 Homes for Sale
- 08103 Homes for Sale
- 19107 Homes for Sale
- 19147 Homes for Sale
- 19108 Homes for Sale
- 19109 Homes for Sale
- 08104 Homes for Sale
- 19102 Homes for Sale
- 19146 Homes for Sale
- 19130 Homes for Sale
- 19125 Homes for Sale
- 08105 Homes for Sale
- 19103 Homes for Sale
- 19122 Homes for Sale
No guarantee, warranty or representation of any kind is made regarding the completeness or accuracy of descriptions or measurements (including square footage measurements and property condition), such should be independently verified, and Compass, Inc., its subsidiaries, affiliates and their agents and associated third parties expressly disclaims any liability in connection therewith. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions. Offers of compensation are subject to change at the discretion of the seller. No financial or legal advice provided. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Based on information from one of the following Multiple Listing Services: BRIGHT, Greater LeHigh Valley Regional MLS, Greator Scranton Board of REALTORS® and Pocono Mountains Association of REALTORS®. Information being provided is for the visitor’s personal, noncommercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties visitor may be interested in purchasing. The data contained herein is copyrighted by BRIGHT, Greater LeHigh Valley Regional MLS, Greator Scranton Board of REALTORS® and Pocono Mountains Association of REALTORS® is protected by all applicable copyright laws. Any dissemination of this information is in violation of copyright laws and is strictly prohibited. Property information referenced on this web site comes from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) program of the MLS. This web site may reference real estate listing(s) held by a brokerage firm other than the broker and/or agent who owns this web site. For the avoidance of doubt, the accuracy of all information, regardless of source, is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be personally verified through personal inspection by and/or with the appropriate professionals.