34-unit mixed-use new construction, zoned CMX3.
A five-story, 34-unit mixed-use building has wrapped at 322–40 Race Street in Old City, combining group living units with ground-floor commercial shell space and church-related uses. The project sits on a nearly 24,000-square-foot lot owned by The Minister Trustees since 1967 and was cleared to build in mid-2023. The structure incorporates a relocated historic rowhouse—151 North 4th Street—now set on a new foundation and converted into church office and storage space. The upper floors house supportive service offices, a residential community room with kitchen, laundry facilities, and 34 group living units, four of which are accessible. Ground-floor commercial space awaits separate tenant fit-out, while accessory church offices and multipurpose areas round out the program.
The CMX3 zoning allowed the project to move forward by-right, and the scope suggests a supportive or transitional housing model rather than conventional market-rate apartments. The developer navigated several amendments during construction, including revisions to standpipe enclosures and the removal of a restroom from the commercial shell. Sprinklers and separate mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection permits were required, along with Parks & Recreation sign-off for the elevator.
The building lands in a stretch of Old City seeing steady infill activity. Within a half-mile radius, more than 330 units are in the pipeline or recently delivered, including a 75-unit project at 416–24 Vine, an 85-unit building at 230–36 Vine, and a 74-unit development at 502 Wood. This cluster of mid-rise construction reflects continued confidence in the neighborhood's residential appeal, even as the nature of housing product diversifies beyond pure market-rate.
The Race Street project demonstrates how long-held institutional parcels can accommodate hybrid programs that blend mission-driven housing with commercial and community space. For nearby landowners, especially religious institutions or nonprofits sitting on sizable lots, the model offers a template for unlocking underutilized holdings without abandoning community functions.
📄 View the project's plan drawings (PDF)As this density arrives, InvestPHL is tracking 57 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.
Unlock the 57 nearby opportunities →Major (8+ unit) new-construction projects filed within a half-mile since 2022 — the density gathering around this site.