The top 20 oldest buildings renting today in the U.S. are more than 135 years old, built in a time when there wasn’t household electricity, according to a new report from RentCafe.
The oldest building found dates back to before the Civil War. The Pendleton in Cincinnati was built in 1850, and its 78 units are still occupied by renters. Next on the list is the 161-year-old Cambridge Oxford with its 84 boutique apartments in the heart of New Haven, Connecticut, near Yale University.
Building materials, like stone and brick that hold up against harsh weather conditions, as well as a lot of character have made these apartments stand the test of time.
“Renovated and/or upgraded older buildings tend to have a charm that you cannot find with a newer product,” said Barry Saywitz, president of The Saywitz Co. “In many metropolitan areas, these are attractive and well-located. In many instances, the walls are solid and provide better insulation from weather and noise.”
In addition, cities rich with history, many in the Northeast, have the oldest apartment buildings in the nation. On the list of the top 20 oldest buildings, 15 are in the Northeast, with the other five in Georgia, Louisiana, and Ohio. 1880 must also have been a construction boom, with 12 of the oldest buildings still renting today constructed that year.
More than a quarter, 26%, of the country’s old inventory is in Manhattan, with 923 buildings that still rent. The oldest rental buildings in Manhattan were both built in 1880—234-238 East 33rd St. and 307-309 Mott St. Boston rental buildings top RentCafe’s chart with an average age of 105, with the oldest being 9 Sewall Ave., built in 1880. Minneapolis and Springfield, Massachusetts, follow with an average age of 104 and 101, respectively.
According to RentCafe, building development also was seeing progress in the 1880s, with the quality of steel becoming more dependable. One of the first examples of successful steel-frame architecture is the Newark, New Jersey, YMCA, built in 1881.
