Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published in the Winter 2026 issue of Extant, a publication of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.
The view of Fairelawn from Pelham Street looking north. | Photos: Peter Woodall
Fairelawn was built in 1903 by the renowned firm of G.W. and W.D. Hewitt for industrialist Henry B. Curran as a wedding gift for his daughter. The Tudor Revival-style structure at 30 Pelham Road in Mount Airy later served as a convent and a bed and breakfast. A $2.8 million rehabilitation project transformed the building into law offices. Extant spoke to attorneys Pete and Katie Commons, of Commons & Commons LLP, and Marc Pinard, of Pinard Architecture and Interiors, about the superb rehab project, which received a 2025 Grand Jury Award from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.
Extant Magazine (EM): What attracted you to this particular building/site?
Marc Pinard (MP): Its intact character just waiting to be brought back to relevance.
Pete and Katie Commons (PKC): The building was the right size and location for what our firm needed, and it was beautiful, well built, and structurally sound (thanks to Philly Office Retail having replaced the roof at a critical moment when it owned the property). The interior spaces are lovely, and the front porch is one of our favorite places anywhere.
EM: What was most important to preserve?
MP: The integrity of the floor plan. The original grand residential plan was intact and lent itself well to a program for a law firm with needs for conference space (living/dining rooms), lawyers’ offices (studies and bedrooms), paralegals and aides (anterooms and old baths), and kitchen and restrooms (kitchen and house staff areas). Carol Pinard saw that the program aligned nicely with the existing intact original floor plan and would lead to each space retaining its charm and character.
PKC: The integrity of the space, which had survived, definitely needed to be saved. So, too, did the beautiful stonework, the porches, which were so well thought through, and the leaded glass windows. We wanted to change as little as possible while restoring the character of the place and putting it to practical use for our firm and our clients.
Nearly all of the room, now used for meetings by the firm, needed significant restoration or replacement, including the floor, coffered ceiling, fireplace and mantle, the window shutters, and the leaded glass of the windows. | Photos: Peter Woodall
EM: What was the client’s original vision?
MP: To keep as much original detail and character as possible and to reconstruct any detail that was missing. Pete and Katie committed to this by hiring an in-house general contractor and craftspeople, carpenters, and subcontractors equally committed to the details.
PKC: The best part of this project was the people. Marc and Carol understood our goals as well or better than we did ourselves. As the project came together, we just became more and more excited. We work in the building now and spend most of our waking hours here. Knowing that we were creating this place where we would spend so much time was very motivating.
EM: What was the biggest preservation challenge?
MP: The HVAC. Integrating modern systems within so much intact historic fabric called for constant attention to keeping plumbing, ductwork, registers and air handlers well integrated.
PKC: Many of the windows had to be rebuilt and all of them needed to be re-leaded and then refit into their old openings. Cooper O’Neil, who repaired the leaded glass, and our carpenters did a great job of making the process happen in an organized way that preserved as much original wood and glass as possible.
The solarium is home to plants once again, its leaded glass windows returned to their original glory. | Photos: Peter Woodall
EM: Did you look to any role model for inspiration or as an example?
MP: We mostly looked to the great team of craftspeople and subcontractors who were eager to offer their best effort in detailing new but historically appropriate solutions.
PKC: We agree. It was our team of craftspeople, led by Carl Keilblock, who saw every problem as an opportunity and had a can-do attitude through each phase and with each new challenge that made the project both a success and enjoyable.
EM: What was the project’s biggest surprise (good or bad)?
MP: Good: The City of Philadelphia’s foresight in having zoning regulations that allow for some nonconforming uses in buildings that would otherwise fall victim to a lack of preservation resources.
PKC: One bad surprise was learning that a squirrel trapped in a house will try to chew through the lead in dozens and dozens of windows to try to escape. The best surprise was that the building process was fun, interesting, and brought together a great group of people.
A very beautiful home, thank you for showing this.