4814-18 Griscom StUnder construction

A three-story, 16-unit building is under way at 4814-18 Griscom Street in Frankford, adding modest-scale multifamily density to a stretch of the neighborhood that's quietly filling in. The structure, cleared to build in early 2023, will include a roof deck and pilot houses spread across a 7,616-square-foot lot. Star Homes Management LLC, the owner of record since 2016, is pushing the envelope of what RM1 zoning allows by right in an area that still skews toward single-family rowhouses and scattered commercial strips.

The project sits within a half-mile of 141 other residential units either delivered or on the boards, including the sizable 132-unit development at 5113 Frankford Avenue and a smaller nine-unit build at 4452 Griscom Street. That cohort suggests Frankford is absorbing a level of investment that would have seemed unlikely a decade ago, though the pace remains uneven and the parcels often opportunistic. Star Homes is building to the full allowable density without need for variances or rezoning, a reflection of how much runway RM1 can provide for midsized operators willing to assemble narrow lots.

The design is straightforward—16 units means likely a mix of one- and two-bedrooms, with the roof deck offering a modest amenity bump. Construction includes sprinkler systems and separate trades permits, standard fare for any modern multifamily build but worth noting in a neighborhood where wood-frame conversions and rehabs still dominate new housing supply. What's more telling is the footprint: nearly 7,600 square feet gives the building enough breathing room for surface parking or small rear yards, details that can make or break lease-up in submarkets still car-dependent.

For nearby underused parcels—and there are plenty along Griscom and the surrounding grid—this project sketches a plausible template. Star Homes didn't need a zoning fight or a public subsidy to pencil 16 units, and the timeline from acquisition to active construction wasn't unusually long. If the building leases well, expect other small-scale operators to eye similar assemblages within walking distance of the Frankford Transportation Center, where zoning and land costs still align for patient capital.