MansionFX

A two-story house with a stone facade, steeply pitched roof with dormer windows, symmetrical bay windows, a central wooden door with a transom window and an orange awning, white trim, and a small front porch, under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

Restoration of Harrisburg’s Moffitt Mansion

Dr. Robert Hopkins Moffitt, one of Harrisburg’s most prestigious 19th century citizens, housed his dental offices within the three-story blue limestone building. The riverfront property is built in a Queen Anne style, contains roughly 10,000 square feet of usable space, and is topped by a “widow’s walk.” The building features a first-floor porch; in the 1980s, the building’s stunning two-story front porch was removed, giving the front of the mansion a “flat” appearance.

Since its construction in 1895, the Robert H. Moffitt Mansion on Front Street in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has stood as an important architectural and historical landmark.

Historic stone mansion with multiple levels and a tower, featuring a wrap-around porch and surrounded by bare trees.

Designed in the late 1800s by noted Harrisburg architect Howard Lloyd, the mansion housed Dr. Moffitt’s dental practice from 1895 to 1900. Dr. Moffitt was beloved by the community of Harrisburg, serving as the president of the Board of Trustees of the Market Square Presbyterian Church, a founder of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, and a member of the Harrisburg Consistory. He was also a director of the Commonwealth Trust Company. As a man deeply involved in both church and his community, he understood that his success directly depended on the success of the city that surrounded him.

Unfortunately, after Dr. Moffitt’s death, the mansion began to lose some of its former glory. In the years since his passing, the building has housed apartments, a magisterial justice’s courtroom, and a real estate company. It, like many of the grand houses along the river, was in dire need of care that it never received.

Historical black and white photo of a two-story Victorian house with a tower and wrap-around porch, surrounded by trees, with a person standing on the porch.

Over time, many of the once glorious buildings that stood along Front Street have fallen into disrepair, been demolished, or have been renovated until they no longer resemble their original forms. The mansion is the only substantially intact building designed by Lloyd that remains on Front Street—and when we chose it as our new location, we wanted to keep it that way.

When WebFX decided to work with WCI Partners to renovate the Moffitt Mansion, we wanted to create a functional and modern workspace that preserved and restored the mansion’s historic elements and former glory.

Here are a few photos of the interior of the mansion prior to the restoration project

View from below of a dirty window with a white frame on a discolored wall, with mold or water damage visible on the ceiling.

Empty carpeted corridor with white walls, large windows allowing natural light, and a curved wall on the right side.

A dirty, worn-out bathtub in a bathroom with white tiled walls and a small window.

A rundown room with peeling gray paint, missing window glass, wires across the windows, and chunks of insulation on the floor, with a view of other buildings outside.

A three-story stone house with a mansard roof and rooftop deck, featuring a red awning over the front entrance, surrounded by greenery under a clear blue sky.

A New Beginning for the Moffitt Mansion

WebFX moved into the renovated Moffitt Mansion in February 2014. Thanks to the hard work of WCI Partners, both the interior and exterior of the building have been restored. Urban Interiors also provided us with interior design that combined historical elements—like exposed wooden beams and the fourth-floor widow’s walk—and modern style, including bright pops of teal, lime green, gray, and red. Here are a few photos of the new WebFX office.

Modern office space with multiple computer workstations, stone and brick wall design, decorative hanging lights, and no people present.

Office environment with multiple workstations where two individuals are seated at desks with computers, monitors, and various office supplies. The room has bright colored walls and decorative lighting fixtures.

Modern living room with dark gray walls and a gray tufted sofa with colorful cushions, a white chandelier above, and a reflection of a person in the glass door at the back.

Six professionals standing in a semi-circle in a contemporary office, engaged in a discussion with some holding papers.

Interior of a pet zone facility with a sign indicating visiting hours from 12:00PM to 12:30PM, featuring modern decor with wooden desks, teal beams, and geometric pendant lights.

A modern office space with a black chandelier, exposed brick walls, workstations with computers, red cubicle dividers, and a casual seating area in the background.

An office space with red cubicle partitions, individuals working at computer stations, exposed ceiling ductwork, and brightly colored walls.

Modern office space with employees at desks, red storage units, a blue wall, and a blackboard with a motivational quote.

A modern room with a white table and chairs, a laptop and a desk fan on the table, and a television displaying a sports event on the wall.

A modern meeting room with a white table, red chairs, and a teal blue accent wall, equipped with a laptop and a chandelier above.

A balcony with black wicker furniture overlooking a serene body of water with clear skies.

A modern office space with individuals working at computers, a column with font names, and a design studio ambiance.

A modern room with white walls and large windows, featuring a glass table with a laptop and clear acrylic chairs on a turquoise rug, and a flat-screen TV in front.

A large stone building with a steep roof and a white banner hanging from the front, featuring a hand-drawn design with a heart, under an overcast sky.

A woman with blonde hair, wearing a white sweater, working at a desk with dual monitors displaying a spreadsheet and a webpage.

An official ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the fully restored and reopened Moffitt Mansion on May 7, 2014.

A group of eight people at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of a building, with two men in the center holding large scissors ready to cut a blue ribbon.

Several city and state officials were present for the ceremony, including Harrisburg mayor Eric Papenfuse, Representative Patty Kim, and Senator Rob Teplitz. During the ceremony, Teplitz officially declared May 7 to be “WebFX Comes to Dauphin County Day.”

The restoration of this historical landmark allowed us to live our company values: to give back to the community. Much like Dr. Robert Hopkins Moffitt, we know that our success depends on the success of the surrounding city, and we are committed to giving back to Harrisburg, starting with our renovation on Front Street. We are proud to call the Moffitt Mansion our home and look forward to doing business in Harrisburg for many years to come.