Editing Rittenhouse Square (section)

=== The 20th Century ===

In 1913, the newly formed Rittenhouse Square Improvement Association helped fund a redesign by Paul Philippe Cret, a French-born architect who also contributed to the design of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and the [[Rodin Museum]]. Cret redesigned parts of the square to resemble Paris and the French gardens, adding classical entryways and stone additions to railings, pools, and fountains.

High-rise apartment buildings began replacing some of the original mansions in the 1920s and 1930s, though many historic townhouses remain. Following renovations made for America's Bicentennial in 1976, the Friends of Rittenhouse Square was established to serve as the nonprofit steward of the square.