Counter Management

This is a simple building that offers great a ratio of space/value to price for someone who doesn't need to prioritize lavish amenities. The units are modernized and spacious - some of which have a balcony - and come at a much lower rate than larger, more popular buildings with extensive amenities.

Nice Apartment - Easy Bus, Close to Rittenhouse

The good: Boutique, low/mid-rise apartment building amongst tree-lined brownstones near Locust and Spruce. If your apt ends in 01, it's a gorgeous corner unit with a private elevator that opens up directly into your unit (only about 7 of these in the building). Great value per square footage (1000+ sq. ft. apartment that I live alone in with open floorplan, large office space, 1.5 bath, huge walk-in closet). Gorgeous, tiered vaulted ceilings with built in dimmers. Love the area - it's surrounded by bars and restaurants and straddles Center City and Rittenhouse Sq, but good insulation keeps it quiet and I live on the 4th floor. I have never seen a pest/roach/rodent in my entire time living here which is rare. Nest thermostat. Package pickup is actually easier than having a doorman as there's no need to speak to someone to receive packages or use Fetch delivery (which many apts in Rittenhouse force residents to use).

The bad: Amenities are nearly non-existent - your $ goes entirely toward your actual apartment unit. Awful looking lobby with vulgar 'artwork', no doorman, really terrible management that is super slow to respond to maintenance requests. If you live on an odd-numbered floor, you're on a trash floor and there's no trash receptacle, it's just a room that fills ceiling-high with trash and does not get emptied often enough so this smell may draft into your apartment.

The condo is stunning - high vaulted ceilings, massive living space (the largest I’ve seen of any apartment in Philly that’s occupied by Penn students). 2Bed/2Bath is a huge plus, with both bathrooms in-suite. It’s a bit far from campus compared to 2116 etc. They’re building a cool common space in the building, but it doesn’t have the social aspect of the popular buildings. The size of the apartment and the 2 baths made it worth it for us. Oh and windows that cover two entire sides of the living room.

Pros: Very high ceilings, large living room, great kitchen, close to Center City bars and restaurants, not too far from 15th St trolley station, cheaper than most other housing options, can buzz people up.

Cons: noisy outside Thu-Sat, sound insulation between bedrooms and living room is not great.

far from campus and noisy street

Beautiful loft with washer dryer and huge living space. The only con is that it can be very cold in the winter.

The common space in the apartment is absolutely amazing. The huge windows let in a ton of natural light, and the fixtures and finishes in the apartment are modern and beautiful. The counters are a luxurious granite (or at least look and feel like it), and the appliances are stainless steel. When people visit, they are always really impressed with the living space! Management is incredibly responsive when maintenance issues or needs arise, which is really great.
There is great access to transportation nearby. SEPTA buses stop at 15th and Walnut, and SEPTA has a trolley/train stop at 15th and Market, which is a 5-min walk away. There are a lot of great options for restaurants, shopping, and nightlife in the area. In terms of downsides, the area can be very noisy at night - I'm on a higher floor, and it still is a bit loud for me sometimes. This includes weekdays, not just weeknights. The building also doesn't have any amenities (gym, pool, common studying space), so don't expect to get very close to your neighbors.

Good value, nice ceilings, ok appliances

These apartments are great, if you don't mind the bustling streets below. There are a lot of bars and restaurants on the block, which can be both good and bad...15th and Locust tends to get noisy, especially at night. My gf and I bought a noise machine though, and that did the trick. The building itself has new everything and crazy high ceilings, so even though our 1BR apartment doesn't have a lot of square footage, it doesn't feel small at all. The property manager is also very friendly to work with and the maintenance team is very responsive.

This apartment has beautiful units, and the management is responsive to maintenance needs and other requests. The only big problem is that it is located on a corner with five loud bars, and attracts a lot of attention for that reason. If I could move this apartment to Washington Square, I would be the happiest person. That being said, it is definitely worth a look.

Positives: The apartments in this building are very nice and newly renovated, with high ceilings, dark wood floors, marble-topped counters, and new steal appliances. The basement has fenced-in storage spaces. They are the "nicest" apartments I've seen out of all of my Wharton friends, who tend to comment on it being one of the nicer apartments they've seen in the city. The location gives you easier access to the central and eastern side of the city but the building is a bit far from UPenn. Negatives: Very loud/rambunctious intersection with about 8 bars within a one block radius. The other tenants in the building tend to be younger and inconsiderate. The walls between apartments are thin. The air conditioning/heating systems are very loud and dry-out the rooms. Pearl Properties employees also tend to behave as though they're doing you a favor anytime they resolve problems, which tend to occur frequently within the building. The south-facing apartments look directly into 1500 Locust's parking garage, which have lights on 24/7/365.

You trade amenities for size - we have two baths, two beds, a den and a huge balcony. The building is nicely renovated but the downside is that it doesn't have some of the perks of full service buildings (i.e., doorman, gym, etc). That said, the location is perfect, the management company is very responsive, and we like it so much we're staying for another year!

Great 1br + study with 1.5 baths, modern kitchen, lovely finishing, euro laundry. Responsive landlord. Great option for a couple looking for extra space compared to a 1br. Living area is great for group dinners and entitaining. No gym in building, but the sporting club at the Hyatt is right across the road and is amazing. "01" apartments on each floor in this building have penthouse style direct lift access.

I am extremely pleased with my apartment and would HIGHLY recommend Pearl Properties as a management company.