For sale: 3 of Center City’s finest private libraries
Having a home library has many of the same benefits as having a home bar: the comfort of your own furniture, the security of being surrounded by your own belongings and the persistent option of wearing pants. Both also serve as an excellent showcase for a brag-worthy private collection. These downtown libraries feature all these benefits and then some.
1531 Spruce Street
$2,900,000
Taxes: $18,616
I've got my books and my poetry to protect me. This five-bedroom Rittenhouse Square manse is wider than your average townhouse (22 feet) and taller, too (five stories). The library features floor-to-ceiling cherry bookcases and one of nine of the home's fireplaces. What's a good read without a fire? A full gym and private sauna are also included.
2031 Spruce Street
$1,899,000
Taxes: $10,508
I've got my books and my poetry to protect me. The primary feature in this home's formal library is a series of beautiful leaded glass windows. Built in the 1870s, the home includes many period details, including an historic façade with original shutters, a grand, three-story mahogany staircase and matching woodwork. Bonus: there is full au pair suite on the lower level.
715 Pine Street, #1
$1,650,000
Taxes: $6,405
I've got my books and my poetry to protect me. The library in this three-bedroom Society Hill stunner is remarkable for its opulence without an abundance of dark wood or other external indicators that cigars might be forthcoming. No absence of natural light for reading here.
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