Haven: A lofty perspective on the city

From the moment the elevator doors open in Alfred "Fred" Hagen's ultrachic penthouse, the swooning begins. The unit, spanning the top two floors of a trendy 12-story boutique building in Society Hill, is the pinnacle of stylish city living.

Floor-to-ceiling windows stretch across the 4,000-square-foot residence, where breathtaking views pan from the city's corporate center to the stadium complex to the Delaware River, where the Ben Franklin Bridge arcs in the wake of cruising cargo ships.

Hagen concedes modestly that most visitors have the same jaw-dropping reaction. "It is a very nice view. And at night, when the city comes alive with lights, that's when it's really something."

Once the eyes focus away from this vista, it's possible to soak in the posh modern furnishings and luxurious amenities that complete the open-floor interior.

Hagen, 57, a veteran contractor, built the building, which in addition to the penthouse includes 10 full-floor units.

In 2010, he says, he acquired the building, subsequently leasing the penthouse to some A-listers, including the Flyers' Claude Giroux and, while he was with the 76ers, Andrew Bynum. In 2013, Jennifer Lopez rented it for a brief modeling stint.

As a teenager, Hagen, a Delaware County native, moved away to work on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, but later he built houses. He returned to the Philadelphia region and in 1987 founded Hagen Construction Inc. in Bensalem. He shifted his focus locally to mainly large-scale residential and commercial ventures and, ultimately, worked on projects such as the Barnes Museum, the National Museum of American Jewish History, the MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, and additional condominium buildings.

Recently, Hagen relocated from a Bucks County farmhouse he owns to the penthouse, to be closer to several long-term city jobs. The neighborhood's easy access to I-95 was a key consideration.

For Hagen, the move also has marked a new appreciation for Society Hill, where shops, restaurants, and an expanding waterfront continue to retrofit the district.

"There's a dynamism to the area that's cool," he says.

His penthouse features an open kitchen with an expansive island, customized brown cabinetry, and a glossy white backsplash, plus a Sub-Zero refrigerator and a built-in Miele espresso machine.

The glass-topped dining table, accompanied by eight black chairs, stands beneath two white glass-chip chandeliers. A dual-sided gas fireplace introduces the adjacent lounging parlor, where a modular sofa and black recliner reside. Nearby are the guest and laundry rooms.

Another lounging parlor, punctuated by curved red armchairs and a glass coffee table, occupies the other end of the first level. A topaz glass sculpture and a painting of a woman wearing a red dress add pizzazz. Decorative area rugs cover wood-grain floor tiles.

Walls are painted white, with touches of grays, silvers, and golds on wall coverings in the foyer and on the Italian-like tiles in the 31/2 bathrooms. The entire penthouse is managed by smart-home automation that dims lights, lowers and raises shades, controls the flat screens, and adjusts the rooms' temperatures.

Hagan's preferred space, the sybaritic master bedroom and en suite on the second level, are reached by wooden stairs or the glittering glass elevator - and, yes, the picturesque views there always bring another "Wow."

Leaning against the upstairs parlor wall are two large paintings, each of a vintage warplane. Though they're favorites of Hagan, he's not sure whether he's going to hang them.

"Someone told me they don't go with the aesthetics of the place," he says.

A licensed pilot, Hagen is deeply interested in American history and has salvaged lost World War II warplanes. In 2003, the History Channel aired B-25 Down: Hunt for a Hero, a documentary about Hagen's quest to find his great-uncle's downed plane on the island of New Guinea.

Just steps away is probably the real jewel in the crown. Accessed by a wall of retractable doors is a 1,810-square-foot terrace, with club furniture, a fully equipped kitchen, and a heated 50-foot lap pool that looks inviting even on a dull, winter afternoon.

From sunrise to sunset, Hagen has a lofty perspective on the city's rhythms - and when he wants, he can escape to his glass-enclosed perch of seamless solitude.

"There certainly is a different beauty observed from up here."