Best Address 1706 Rittenhouse Square

PhillyStyleMag.com 3/2012 Best Address: 1706 Rittenhouse Square
BY KATHLEEN NICHOLSON WEBBER
1706 Rittenhouse
Dan Neducsin had no intention of moving from the
sprawling 19th-century threestory brownstone on
Delancey Street that he shared with his wife, Luana, when
he read about a new high-rise to be built in Center City.
The project, however, hit the trifecta of developments: a
contemporary-style building at 1706 Rittenhouse Square,
one residence per floor; luxury amenities such as an
automated parking garage that brings your car to you, a
gym, and a pool—oh, and panoramic views of the city from
each home.
Neducsin’s interest was piqued. You see, as the man who is Dan Neducsin in his new home at 1706 Rittenhouse
responsible for bringing Manayunk from hilly, dormant neighborhood to bustling destination town, he is
a guy who loves views. His house in Avalon has them, and he thought if he could replicate that feeling in
the city, then he would most certainly move. “I read about 1706 Rittenhouse’s big outdoor spaces. A lot of
what I loved about Avalon was here,” says Neducsin.
His wife was on board when she learned she could get the privacy she craved, atypical of many high-rises
(there are 31 total owners, and a private elevator takes you to your home). He also knew the developers of
the building, Tom Scannapieco and Joe Zuritsky, and trusted their work and promises for this one-of-akind plan. “I am a developer, and it is an issue you always worry about—what will the guy next to you
build? There weren’t those issues here. I knew a building like this wouldn’t happen again.”
PhillyStyleMag.com 3/2012 And so they made a deposit before a shovel even entered Each residence has panoramic views of the city.
in the ground. Neducsin quickly called Gabrielle Canno of
Canno Design to start working on a floor plan and design.
She had worked on his other homes, both with a modern
bent; the Neducsins’ house on Delancey was a mix of old
(architecture) and new (furnishings). “Everything we did
there was modern. He wanted even more modern here,”
says Canno, who worked on the project in conjunction
with David Amburn and Jerry Jarosinski of architecture
and interior design firm Amburn/ Jarosinski.
Each resident bought a box and had it fit out, she
explains. Building standards were high, so they kept
many things. She laid out the two-bedroom, 4,300square-foot space before the residence was built, making
an open plan that would take advantage of the 360degree views of the city and rivers. Almost every room has
two entrances and not many doors; any ones they do have
are hidden. “Because there are so few walls in the
apartment, it really was a lesson in paring down,” says
Canno.
A Peter Gallo relief sculpture commissioned by the
Neducsins separates the living and dining rooms.
Most of the furniture and art from the Delancey
brownstone made the trip to the new home. To unify the
open rooms, Canno used large, palebeige porcelain tiles
on the floors throughout the house. “Light transfers from
room to room in this space. It is pretty spectacular,” she
says. Special draperies and solar shades were installed to
keep the furniture and art from fading, but walls are
white with golden colored accent walls to make the space
feel crisp. Canno designed built-ins for the library, living
room, and master bedroom, made by woodworking
craftsman Michael Lutz.
The challenge in this large open space was not to have too
many focal points in a room. “The view is already a focal
The dining room maintains the home’s light, modern
point,” says the designer. That is not to say the home is
tonality.
without visual treats of its own, such as the fireplace, clad
in steel and surrounded by millwork. “The steel and wood are a nice juxtaposition. You see it right when
you walk in the door,” she says. Across from it is a relief sculpture commissioned from Peter Gallo. Canno
created a floating wall for it that doubles as a partition between the living and dining rooms. Two steel
columns on either end suspend the wall and frame the artwork. In the master bedroom, she designed a
stained white-oak bed with a leather headboard that conforms with the light palette throughout the home.
And Joanne Hudson worked with the couple on a custom kitchen. “We picked out everything from the
appliances to the stainless-steel countertops,” says Neducsin.
Outdoor spaces include two decks, one of which spans 45 feet, and these areas are enjoyed as much as
possible by the couple. Now in their home a year, Neducsin says they use every inch of the house. “Our old
house was three stories, and we didn’t use all of the rooms. Here we use every one.” Especially those in
which they can enjoy the views, facing west and south. “You can see the park and all the way to the
stadiums. Everything I loved about Avalon is here, but in the city.” Sales center located at 1708
Rittenhouse Square St., 215-731-1706.