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

881 N 40th StDelivered

42-unit residential new construction, zoned RM1.

A 42-unit residential building is set to rise at 881 N 40th 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 17, 2021.

The 7,731 sq ft site is zoned RM1, which supports a building on the order of 6 stories by right. The parcel last changed hands in 2022. The plans call for for the erection of a six (6) story structure with roof deck and roof deck access structure; for a multi-family household living( 42 dwelling units) with fourteen(14) 1a class bicycle spaces in an accessible route. entire building to be sprinklered per nfpa 13 and equipped with standpipes per nfpa 14. separate permit required for mep and fire suppression work. type a and type b dwelling units required. amendment: add trash chute in trash room. no structural changes. amendment: amended plans to reflect field changes basement and roof deck is only for mechanical access. .

The owner of record is 879 N 40 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 196 units of new supply — including the 9-unit project at 865 N 40th St, the 9-unit project at 871 N Preston St, the 9-unit project at 871 N Preston 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 ~6-story by-right envelope, not the developer's design.
Units
42
Zoning
RM1
By-right envelope
~6 stories
Lot
7,731 sq ft
Last sale
2022
Cleared to build
Dec 17, 2021
For developers & investors

Underpriced parcels near this project

As this density arrives, InvestPHL is tracking 94 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.

~106buildable units
████████ Street
RM1 · 0.46 mi away
Max bid to a builder $1.4M · Opportunity Score 95
Unlock →
~38buildable units
████████ Street
RM1 · 0.36 mi away
Max bid to a builder $600K · Opportunity Score 83
Unlock →
~26buildable units
████████ Street
RM1 · 0.12 mi away
Max bid to a builder $402K · Opportunity Score 74
Unlock →
~23buildable units
████████ Street
RM1 · 0.38 mi away
Max bid to a builder $239K · Opportunity Score 72
Unlock →
~20buildable units
████████ Street
RM1 · 0.02 mi away
Max bid to a builder $156K · Opportunity Score 69
Unlock →
Unlock the 94 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.

9u865 N 40th St0.03 mi
9u871 N Preston St0.06 mi
9u871 N Preston St0.06 mi
12u748 N 40th St0.19 mi
10u4129 Ogden St0.23 mi
12u3900 Aspen St0.28 mi
29u3912 W Girard Ave0.29 mi
16u4000-18 Parkside Ave0.32 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.