On the market: Philly townhouse in gated Naval Square community for $775,000

Homebuyers thinking of living in Philadelphia often face a trade-off. They may want the bustle of the city, but that could mean giving up privacy.

Willie Jacovini thinks he got the best of both worlds when he and his partner, Tanya Oakes, moved in 2009 to Naval Square, a gated community in the Graduate Hospital neighborhood just across the South Street Bridge from the University of Pennsylvania campus.

“You can walk to Rittenhouse Square, Drexel, HUP, the whole nine yards,” says Jacovini, who is in pharmaceutical sales. “But it’s magical when you walk into the development. You’re independent from the city.”

Jacovini says that Oakes, a pharmacist and South Philadelphia native, bought the property because “she wanted the closeness to Center City.”

But the couple plan to move with their son to South Jersey, closer to Margate, where Jacovini grew up.

The 2,130-square-foot house has access to development facilities including a parking garage spot, a community club room, a fitness center, an outdoor pool, concierge services, and a security gate staffed around the clock.

It has three bedrooms and 2½ baths, hardwood floors, and a kitchen with stainless steel appliances and high-gloss granite countertops.

The couple have set up the main living area to include a formal dining room with adjacent sitting area and a powder room with pedestal sink. The coat closet has a power outlet and can conceal technology.

The master suite has a vaulted ceiling and adjoining bathroom with a walk-in shower and jacuzzi-sized soaker tub. Recessed lighting and plantation shutters allow for as much or as little natural lighting as desired.

The terrace has ample space for a patio and lounge set, and one of the bedrooms could easily be converted to a home office.

The development is close to Fitler Square, plentiful shopping, public transit, and Schuylkill River Park.

The property is listed by David McCaffrey of Keller-Williams Philadelphia for $775,000.