Delancey Street in Philadelphia, PA - A 300 square-foot dining room addition was designed and constructed by Gardner/Fox to enlarge the living space of this historically certified eighteenth-century home located in Society Hill, Philadelphia. The tight urban space and area zoning restrictions created several project challenges. Since there was no access area for machinery, all excavation and foundation work was done by hand and materials were transported into the home piece by piece.

The dining room addition features an exposed brick wall and a gas fireplace. Three large skylights and doors with transom windows enlarge the appearance of the addition and flood the room with light. Old refinished wide-plank Southern heart pine was installed to match the 200-year-old existing flooring. Custom millwork throughout the addition matches the original 18th century woodwork in this Philadelphia townhouse.

An internal stair was constructed to connect the new dining room addition, existing kitchen and basement family room. The stair features custom balusters and a mahogany railing. An original barrel-shaped coal vault was integrated into the addition via the new stair to create an exposed brick wine vault and storage area on the lower level.

The exterior features camouflaged condenser units, a painted steel metal roof, vertical siding and a new flagstone patio edged with planters.