Market Insights  /  University City & Powelton
Development Watch · University City & Powelton

639 N 40th StDelivered

4-unit residential new construction, zoned RM1.

A 4-unit residential building is set to rise at 639 N 40th St in University City & Powelton, the kind of by-right infill quietly reshaping the block. It was cleared to build in Jan 11, 2023.

The 1,764 sq ft site is zoned RM1, which supports a building on the order of 3 stories by right. Records show the parcel last traded in 2021 for $130K. The plans call for for the erection of an attached, three-story structure of type vb construction as per plans. for four (4) dwelling units with layout as shown. .

The owner of record is Nk99 Investments LLC. The project's plan drawings are on file — worth a look for anyone underwriting the surrounding block.

It isn't rising in isolation. Within a half-mile, 12 other major projects have broken ground since 2022 — roughly 240 units of new supply — including the 10-unit project at 644-46 N 40th St, the 8-unit project at 657 N Preston St, the 14-unit project at 3932-36 Mount Vernon St. That kind of concentration is exactly what pulls land values, and buyer attention, toward a block.

We'll update this page as the project progresses — leasing, retail tenants, renderings, and construction milestones as they surface. The relevant question for investors and agents: what are the surrounding parcels worth to a builder now that this is coming?

📄 View the project's plan drawings (PDF)
Schematic massing — illustrative of the ~3-story by-right envelope, not the developer's design.
Units
4
Zoning
RM1
By-right envelope
~3 stories
Lot
1,764 sq ft
Last sale
$130K · 2021
Cleared to build
Jan 11, 2023
For developers & investors

Underpriced parcels near this project

As this density arrives, InvestPHL is tracking 70 under-built parcels within a half-mile that a developer could still acquire and build — each carrying a builder's max bid. Addresses and figures are members-only.

~145buildable units
████████ Street
RM1 · 0.47 mi away
Max bid to a builder $2.1M · Opportunity Score 96
Unlock →
~267buildable units
████████ Street
CMX4 · 0.47 mi away
Max bid to a builder $4.5M · Opportunity Score 96
Unlock →
~106buildable units
████████ Street
RM1 · 0.25 mi away
Max bid to a builder $1.4M · Opportunity Score 95
Unlock →
~60buildable units
████████ Street
CMX2 · 0.35 mi away
Max bid to a builder $955K · Opportunity Score 85
Unlock →
~26buildable units
████████ Street
RM1 · 0.40 mi away
Max bid to a builder $402K · Opportunity Score 74
Unlock →
Unlock the 70 nearby opportunities →
The block

What else is rising nearby

Major (8+ unit) new-construction projects filed within a half-mile since 2022 — the density gathering around this site.

10u644-46 N 40th St0.04 mi
8u657 N Preston St0.06 mi
14u3932-36 Mount Vernon St0.10 mi
12u3900 Aspen St0.16 mi
9u675 N 41st St0.18 mi
12u748 N 40th St0.19 mi
32u3750 Brown St0.33 mi
9u865 N 40th St0.34 mi
Progress

How this project is moving

Cleared for occupancy ~100% complete
Estimated from the construction permit sequence — an approximation of stage, not a precise schedule.
Every logged milestone appears here — highlighted ones are the headline stages; the rest track interim construction activity. Checked daily.
Compiled by InvestPHL. Unit counts, scope, and ownership are as recorded and subject to revision; the massing figure is a schematic illustration of the by-right envelope, not the developer's design or a marketing rendering. Verify zoning, status, and title with counsel before acting. InvestPHL does not list, market, or represent any property, buyer, or seller.