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

3729 Lancaster AveDelivered

16-unit residential new construction, zoned CMX2.

A 16-unit residential building is set to rise at 3729 Lancaster Ave in University City & Powelton, the kind of by-right infill quietly reshaping the block. It was cleared to build in Aug 3, 2021.

The 5,070 sq ft site is zoned CMX2, which supports a building on the order of 4 stories by right. The parcel last changed hands in 2021. The plans call for for the erection of an attached structure with roof deck and roof decks access structure. for a vacant commercial space (separate use registration required prior to occupancy) at the ground floor and multi-family household living for sixteen(16) dwelling units. also to provide six(6) bicycle stalls. building to be fully sprinklered. separate permits required for m.e.p.s work. separate approval required from pa l&i for elevator installation. amend permit to change special inspections agency from simt to geostructures. amendment to the foundation design, storefront and floor layout as per approved revised plans. amendment to the floor layout and structural design as per approved revised plans. and removal of the sprayed fire resistant material from special inspection.

The owner of record is Rass Properties 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 988 units of new supply — including the 62-unit project at 3620 Haverford Ave, the 15-unit project at 3401 Hamilton St, the 16-unit project at 3618 Wallace 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 ~4-story by-right envelope, not the developer's design.
Units
16
Zoning
CMX2
By-right envelope
~4 stories
Lot
5,070 sq ft
Last sale
2021
Cleared to build
Aug 3, 2021
For developers & investors

Underpriced parcels near this project

As this density arrives, InvestPHL is tracking 58 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.

~283buildable units
████████ Street
CMX4 · 0.23 mi away
Max bid to a builder $4.4M · Opportunity Score 97
Unlock →
~283buildable units
████████ Street
CMX4 · 0.23 mi away
Max bid to a builder $4.4M · Opportunity Score 97
Unlock →
~283buildable units
████████ Street
CMX4 · 0.23 mi away
Max bid to a builder $4.6M · Opportunity Score 97
Unlock →
~283buildable units
████████ Street
CMX4 · 0.23 mi away
Max bid to a builder $4.4M · Opportunity Score 97
Unlock →
~194buildable units
████████ Street
RM4 · 0.34 mi away
Max bid to a builder $3.0M · Opportunity Score 96
Unlock →
Unlock the 58 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.

62u3620 Haverford Ave0.22 mi
15u3401 Hamilton St0.29 mi
16u3618 Wallace St0.30 mi
16u3618 Wallace St0.30 mi
14u3932-36 Mount Vernon St0.33 mi
363u3615 Chestnut St0.35 mi
363u3615 Chestnut St0.35 mi
8u657 N Preston St0.47 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.