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

4201 Chestnut StUnder construction

63-unit residential new construction, zoned CMX4.

A 63-unit residential building is set to rise at 4201 Chestnut St in University City & Powelton, a mid-scale addition to one of the city's busier development corridors. It was cleared to build in Dec 22, 2021.

The 8,213 sq ft site is zoned CMX4, which supports a building on the order of 7 stories by right. The parcel last changed hands in 2023. The plans call for new construction of a seven (7) story structure with common roof deck and pilot houses for use as shell commercial spaces (use registration & fit-out permits required prior to occupancy) and sixty-three (63) dwelling units as per approved plans. building to utilize horizontal separations to create two (2) separate buildings with two (2) different construction types (cellar, 1st & 2nd floors - type ia and 3rd through 7th floors - type iiia). fire retardant treated studs and sheathing required for type iii construction. building to be fully sprinklered per nfpa 13 and include standpipes per nfpa 14. fire watch required per code bulletin f-2001. *2018 ibc review* **separate permits required for mep & fire suppression work** amendment approved 8/4/24 amend new construction permit cp-2021-005547 for changes to building layouts and egress arrangement to include horizontal exit and removal of basement level as per approved plans. .

The owner of record is 4201 Chestnut Aquisition 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, 8 other major projects have broken ground since 2022 — roughly 313 units of new supply — including the 12-unit project at 4245 Sansom St, the 95-unit project at 4050 Ludlow St, the 8-unit project at 4401 Holden 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 ~7-story by-right envelope, not the developer's design.
Units
63
Zoning
CMX4
By-right envelope
~7 stories
Lot
8,213 sq ft
Last sale
2023
Cleared to build
Dec 22, 2021
For developers & investors

Underpriced parcels near this project

As this density arrives, InvestPHL is tracking 104 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.

~238buildable units
████████ Street
CMX2 · 0.16 mi away
Max bid to a builder $3.7M · Opportunity Score 97
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~267buildable units
████████ Street
CMX4 · 0.15 mi away
Max bid to a builder $4.5M · Opportunity Score 96
Unlock →
~172buildable units
████████ Street
CMX3 · 0.44 mi away
Max bid to a builder $2.8M · Opportunity Score 96
Unlock →
~169buildable units
████████ Street
CMX3 · 0.49 mi away
Max bid to a builder $2.8M · Opportunity Score 95
Unlock →
~154buildable units
████████ Street
CMX3 · 0.45 mi away
Max bid to a builder $2.3M · Opportunity Score 95
Unlock →
Unlock the 104 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.

12u4245 Sansom St0.08 mi
95u4050 Ludlow St0.14 mi
8u4401 Holden St0.32 mi
145u4401 Holden St0.32 mi
8u4401 Holden St0.32 mi
13u4401 Holden St0.32 mi
12u4401 Holden St0.32 mi
20u222 S 45th St0.33 mi
Progress

How this project is moving

Structure ~60% 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.