Home  >  Philadelphia  >  Center City  >  Rittenhouse Square Apartments  >  The Dorchester

High-rise Condo  «  Allan Domb
Rittenhouse Square, 226 W Rittenhouse Square | Philadelphia
Overview
Photos
Amenities

Top Amenities

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  •  24-Hour Front Desk
  •  Additional Storage Available
  •  Building Laundry Room
  •  Fitness Center
  •  Granite Countertops
  •  Oversize or penthouse units
  •  Parking Garage
  •  Pet Friendly
  •  Rooftop Deck
  •  Stainless Steel Appliances
  •  Swimming Pool  
  •  Walk-in Closets

User Rating

7.7
Good
122 Reviews

About this Location

7-Eleven
1 min walk
Lots of bars and
restaurants nearby
17 (bus) - 1 min
PATCO (rail) - 8 min
Rittenhouse Square
2 min walk

Pricing 

Studio, 1 Bath
$1,350+
1 Bedroom, 1 Bath
$1,875+
1 Bedroom, 1.5 Baths
$2,500+
2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths
$3,300+
3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths
$4,200+
Schedule Appointment At
(786) 403-0330
  • Bedrooms

    •  Walk-in Closets
  • Building Related

    •  Elevators
  • Entertainment

    •  Rooftop Deck
  • Included

    •  Electricity Included
    •  Gas Included
    •  Heat Included
    •  Water Included
  • Kitchen

    •  Dishwasher
    •  Garbage Disposal
    •  Microwave
  • Laundry

    •  Building Laundry Room
  • Lease Terms

    •  Application Fee  
    •  Last Month Rent Up Front
    •  Move-in Fee  
    •  Security Deposit  
  • Living Room

    •  Air Conditioning
  • Parking & Transportation

    •  Bike Storage
    •  Parking Garage
  • Security & Maintenance

    •  24-Hour Front Desk
  • Sports & Fitness

    •  Fitness Center
    •  Swimming Pool  
  • Storage

    •  Additional Storage Available
  • Unique Unit Types

    •  Oversize or penthouse units
X

Overall rating 7.7/10, based on 122 renter reviews Write a review

9.8
Location
6.3
Amenities
7.6
Management
7.9
Value
6.2
Social
9.8
Safety
Excellent
42
Great
45
Good
28
Average
4
Terrible
3

The Dorchester reviews and highlights

  • Lots of great building amenities, but they cost a little extra
  • Very clean building
  • Building is comfortable and safe
  • Does not allow pets
  • Lots of Wharton students
  • Maintenance is very responsive
  • Kitchen appliances
  • Convenient gym in the basement for a quick workout
  • Lots of sunlight
  • Very convenient taxi stand
  • Older building, but some of the units are newly renovated
  • Fantastic building
  • Management can vary depending on who you rent from
  • 7-11 next door is a life saver
  • Cable is included
  • Right on Rittenhouse Square
  • Friendly doormen and a convenient package room
  • Utilities are included
  • Elevators are great
  • Lots of natural light, a great balcony with excellent views
  • Rooftop pool that’s open during the summer
  • Huge windows
  • Very friendly staff
  • Lots of space
  • Great location
  • Staff is very friendly and responsive
  • Nice sense of community
Filter reviews for
7
Good
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Depends on the unit!

Building is great overall, but each unit is different and individually owned. 10 star versus 5 star rating dependent on the side of the building you are on and floor. If you look over the loading dock it is noisy!! Can’t sit on the balcony due to noise and must have the updated sound proof windows. Staff is nice. Great pool. Perfect location. Package room Monday-Saturday with text alerts. Frequent fire alarms in the middle of the night. $300 moving in/out fee.

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  • Family w/ children
  • 2 beds / 2 baths
6
Good
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

decent apartment building

The doormen are great, it’s a pretty building, location is great, price is good. downside : management isn’t great. built 40 years ago and things are falling apart. our floor is literally coming out of the floorboards ! owner owned, so if you get a nasty owner, you’re stuck. also no dogs or cats allowed which is a bummer. but i think for the price location and proximity to the downtown area it’s pretty good

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  • Couple
  • 1 bed / 1 bath
6
Good
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Some pros, lots of cons

The Dorchester has its pros and cons. On the positive side, the building is clean, has 24/7 security and is quiet. Most of the residents are senior citizens so if you prefer to live in a place without many parties or noise, the Dorchester is good for that. Cons: the building is a co-op and has strict rules. One involves not being able to Airbnb the apartment. This makes it inconvenient to rent out the place when on break or over the summer. The building is not pet friendly at all. You will be fined $2,000 for ANY infraction, including just bringing a dog into the lobby. The apartments are cold and the heating system does not work well enough to heat a studio apartment properly. Additionally, the heater is extremely loud and distracting so I keep the central heat off and at times use a floor heater, which barely circulates heat well. My apartment faces the park so I get a little but of natural sunlight during the day. However, the apartment does not have sufficient overhead lighting, so you have to have a lot of lamps on at night. The security guards are kind and helpful, but the Dorchester building manager is a pain. He is rude and very unfriendly. Allan Domb, the owner of my studio, is decent. They respond pretty quickly to maintenance issues, but I have heard other students complain about their customer service. The building has a gym in the basement, but the gym is small and some of the machines are old. The building does not have a common space like other buildings around Rittenhouse. Having a common space is helpful when studying or hosting events for Wharton students. Also, you have to pay for additional services like the gym, parking and the rooftop pool. Lastly, the fire alarm goes off way to often! It has gotten to the point that residents don't even leave when an alarm goes off, which is dangerous. If looking for a similarly priced property with more amenities, try the Rittenhouse Claridge, on the other side of Rittenhouse Park. They may not be listed on VeryApt.

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Reviewed by
 
  • Couple
  • Family w/ children
  • Roommates
  • Studio / 1 bath
8
Great
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Views are Spectacular!

Great location, amazing views p, spacious for a studio but far from campus

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Reviewed by
 
  • Couple
  • Studio / 1 bath
9
Excellent
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Great Value

Apartment does not have great amenities, but is great if you wants to extract great value. Doorman building with luxurious finishes. Rent includes utilities including cable.

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  • Couple
  • 1 bed / 1 bath
1
Terrible
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Overpriced, over promised dirty and old place with the worst mgmt team

The place promises the world but delivers not much of it (false advertisement to say the least). For example:
- a rooftop pool - costs extra ~$300 & open only 3 months
- freight elevators - cost you extra $350 to move in
- an old miniature gym in the dungeon (below basement with no windows) - cost you extra $30 / month
- bike storage - cost you extra $30

The management team is not accessible. There is no online system to make payments. The front desk is rude to guests. The backdoor closes at 6.30pm and you cannot walk your bike through the front. Fees right and left whenever they get a chance.

The place is so old that we three major water damage last year. I think the water never dried fully so the hallways smell bad and not sure how healthy it is actually. No A/C control in the rooms - so it is up to them to turn on the A/C or the heater and when.

The only thing going for this place is the location. I am guessing with the current management team and state of the building, they wouldn't be able to get one tenant if it was a bit outside the center city. There are other really good options in the center city with similar location benefits and much better quality building and qualified management team. I would stay away.

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Reviewed by
 
  • Studio / 1 bath
7
Good
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Great place but wish fixtures were better

Great apartment and staff but old building where things are constantly breaking down; gym is in poor condition and should be replaced

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Reviewed by
 
  • Studio / 1 bath
8
Great
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Great location

Really love being right in the heart of Rittenhouse Square. The apartment is very quiet - which is kind of nice after a long day of school

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  • Studio / 1 bath
8
Great
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Love my apartment

Each apartment is very different since this is condo type living. You interact directly with your landlord but the maintenance is run by the actual building. The staff is very nice and accomodating and the decorations during the holidays are beautifully done. This location is close to everything (Rittenhouse park is right in front of the building) while being just slightly away (0.5 blocks ha!) from the walnut-chestnut 17-21st Wharton bubble. Hosting a party for many people? The building allows you to borrow tables and chairs and won't charge a fee unless you keep it overnight. Each resident also gets a 5'x5' storage unit included as part of their rent.

There's quite a few wharton students who live here and it's a great community (Riverwest community is the BEST out of all of them but the building itself is not so great). The building is very well maintained but it's annoying that the gym costs an extra $15/month (if you want it). The gym itself is kind of small with free weights and treadmills so good for topping up but not for any serious workouts. There's also a gorgeous rooftop pool in the summer that's an additional amount...for a Penn student this isn't necessary since we can just use Pottruck. There is no washer and dryer in each apartment but a communal one in the basement - this has never been a problem for me.

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  • Studio / 1 bath
10
Excellent
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Love living in Dorchester

Some great value units, but depends on who you rent from b/c condo owned and each owner has performed varying amounts of updating

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  • Couple
  • 1 bed / 1 bath

The Neighborhood

Signature Spots

dining 27 Recs

Cleavers
Spread Bagelry
Shake Shack
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grocery 3 Recs

MOM’s Organic Market
Di Bruno Bros.
Trader Joe’s
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convenience 5 Recs

CVS Pharmacy
7-Eleven
Walgreens
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fitness 34 Recs

Philly Power Yoga
Body Cycle Spinning Studio
Thrive Pilates
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parks 7 Recs

Rittenhouse Square Park
Schuylkill River Dog Run
Filter Square
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coffee 23 Recs

Capogiro Gelato
The Bakeshop on 20th
La Colombe Coffee
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About Rittenhouse Square

Rittenhouse Square is located in Center City and is home to some of the city's best restaurants, shopping, and nightlife. The neighborhood has luxury high-rises with beautiful views of the the park and has quick access to popular transit.
Pricey
Amazing Charm
Extremely Safe
Central Location
Great Social Scene
Great Coffee Shops
Lots of Wharton Students
Median rents in Rittenhouse Square
Studio
$
1,500
1 Bedroom
$
1,900
2 Bedroom
$
2,550

Getting around Rittenhouse Square


Parking at The Dorchester

Parking Garage

Parking Near The Dorchester

Parking rates are for informational purposes only and may vary — for most up to date pricing, please reach out to the garage directly.

Rittenhouse Square Reviews

582 reviews
Walnut street is very safe - there's always people around and it's well lit. The neighborhood includes all of the fun aspects of living in Philadelphia - tons of access to food and bars, nearby grocery stores/markets, access to the parks and the Schuylkill River Trail
Very close to fun restaurants/bars/shops. Close to the subway as well as the train station (suburban station).
Rittenhouse is the safest part of Philly. It's a very "happening" part of town—lots of restaurants and bars on every street. At the same time, it's right next to more residential neighborhoods to walk around in and explore. It's a great place to live relatively close to the law school but with a degree of separation so as not to get trapped in the law school bubble.
The neighborhood is both quiet and lively. There is so much around, but I have never had an issue sleeping or studying because there is too much noise. The broad street line is a 10-15 minute walk away and we are close to shopping, food, the park, and the river trail. Has everything within a 10-15 walk.
This neighborhood has everything I need within walking distance. Shops, grocery stores, parks, the subway and trolley, post office. You name it. It's very safe and extremely quiet, which helps when I'm trying to study. The Rittenhouse Square area is really the best place to live in Philly if you don't mind paying a little more.
I love this neighborhood and knew I wanted to live here when beginning my apartment search. The park is one of my favorite places in the city, and I love being able to easily access all the restaurants and shopping nearby. It's also an easy (~20 minute) walk to Penn Law, and the walking commute has always been a nice and peaceful part of my day.

Spruce Street in particular is great - it's a little south of the square, so is quieter/shielded from a lot of the traffic that the neighborhood gets, but it's not out of the way or far away. There's a Starbucks, a grocery store (Rittenhouse Market), and a few corner stores (Four Seasons and Food & Friends) within a 2-3 minute walk of my apartment.
Love the neighborhood, Rittenhouse Square is beautiful and we are so close to the more commercial areas like Walnut Street while not being in the center of the craziness. Plus we are within walking distance of public transportation including 10 minutes from the 15/16 street PATCO station. I personally think it is one of the best areas of Philly to live in.
Rittenhouse Square has a park in the center surrounded by a bookstores, restaurants, and a public library. It is open to pets and often has open art / food markets on the weekends. It is close to the Broad Street Line and PATCO. There are many families who live in the area. It is affordable compared to other major cities (NYC, DC, Boston), but there are certainly more affordable areas in Philadelphia, simply without the luxury of being so close to Center City.

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