A Fishtown Church From 1860 Is Now a $2.95M Multifamily With a Photography Studio and Solar Panels

The Siloam Methodist Church at 1345 East Susquehanna Avenue in Philadelphia's Fishtown neighborhood was built between 1845 and 1860. Today it stands 60 feet tall, encompasses 17,500 square feet, produces 34,000 to 36,000 kilowatt-hours of solar energy annually, and generates income from residential rentals, a basement studio, and a sanctuary that rents as a photography studio at $1,400 per day. It is listed at $2,950,000.

What 165 Years of Stone Construction Gets You

The building's bones are extraordinary. The former sanctuary — now the centerpiece of the property — has 35-foot ceilings and original stained glass windows still intact, described in the listing as a blank canvas for a designer's imagination. Grand mahogany staircases greet visitors at the entrance. The first-floor studio beneath the sanctuary is a wide-open loft with a kitchen, lounge, makeup area, and full bath that has been renting at $1,400 per day as a photography and creative studio. Above the sanctuary, the third-floor owner's unit blends the building's historic character with custom design: salvaged doors, two large bedrooms, a custom dressing room, and a bathroom with heated floors and a stained glass shower enclosure. Two additional loft-style apartments — each with private entrances, large kitchens, separate electric and gas meters, and bathrooms — will be delivered vacant, with rents ranging from $2,000 to $2,500 per month. The 3,500-square-foot basement has 10-foot ceilings, a kitchenette, two bathrooms, and houses the four inverters for the building's 128-panel solar array. A new roof was installed in 2023.

The Income Math — and the Location

At $169 per square foot for 17,500 square feet, the price reflects the building's scale and income potential rather than its residential square footage alone. Between two residential units at market rents, the photography studio's day-rate income, and a solar system covering the majority of the building's electricity costs — with annual taxes assessed at just $3,945 — the numbers have a compelling internal logic for the right buyer. The location adds to it: Fishtown is one of Philadelphia's most energized neighborhoods, steps from Suraya, La Colombe, Kalaya, Green Eggs Café, and Riverwards Produce, with easy access to I-95, Center City, and the bridge to New Jersey. The listing notes the property falls within the Adaire School catchment. The chandelier in the entrance foyer is excluded from the sale, which is the only caveat worth mentioning.

The Internet Has Thoughts

Naturally, this listing caught the attention of Reddit's r/zillowgonewild community. See what people are saying about it here.

Thirty-five-foot stained glass ceilings, solar panels, a $1,400/day photography studio, and Fishtown out the front door. View the full listing here.