The Key Role of Row Houses in Philadelphia and Baltimore

The row house is ubiquitous in the two cities, but their policies on design and preservation vary widely.

1 minute read

February 2, 2025, 5:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Brightly colored pale blue, dark blue, and coral row houses in Baltimore, Maryland.

jonbilous / Adobe Stock

In a piece for North Penn Now, Chris Bates highlights the importance of row houses in Philadelphia and Baltimore. “While both cities are celebrated for their row houses, their approaches to design, history, and preservation differ significantly.” Where Philadelphia has a wide range of styles and designs, Baltimore’s row houses are much more uniform. Baltimore also struggles with a high vacancy rate, leading the city to focus on revitalization efforts.

According to Bates, “These homes, characterized by their uniform design and shared walls, have defined the character of many neighborhoods.” Bates outlines the significance, evolution, and legacy of the typology, noting that row houses are “a hallmark of urban planning in densely populated cities, where maximizing land use and accommodating growing populations are essential.”

Row houses offer space efficiency, uniformity, and adaptability. “Today, row houses remain a popular housing option in urban areas due to their historical charm and practicality.”  Through their endurance over centuries, they offer a sustainable model for future urban form.

Thursday, January 30, 2025 in North Penn Now

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Missouri state capitol dome in Jefferson City, MO.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users

A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.

28 minutes ago - Missouri Independent

Los Angeles, California

Op-Ed: Looking for Efficiency? Fund Intercity Buses

Much less expensive than rail, intercity buses serve millions of Americans every year, but public subsidies are lacking.

1 hour ago - Smart Cities Dive

A bus stop in Philadelphia, where people wait under a glass shelter for a bus as it arrives.

Philadelphia Councilmember Proposes Transit Access Fund

The plan would allocate 0.5 percent of the general fund toward mobility subsidies for low-income households.

2 hours ago - Streetsblog USA