Market Insights  /  Fishtown
Development Watch · Fishtown

171 W Berks StDelivered

28-unit residential new construction, zoned IRMX.

A 28-unit residential building is set to rise at 171 W Berks St in Fishtown, the kind of by-right infill quietly reshaping the block. It was cleared to build in May 7, 2020.

The 7,400 sq ft site is zoned IRMX, which supports a building on the order of 5 stories by right. Records show the parcel last traded in 2019 for $1.5M. The plans call for new construction of a five story structure with roof deck for use as multi-family dwelling (28 total units) with a shell non-residential space (use registration and c.o. permits required prior to occupancy) and accessory parking garage on the first floor as per approved plans. building to be fully sprinklered per nfpa 13 and include standpipes per nfpa 14. first floor to be of type ia construction and type va construction above per horizontal building separation allowance, section 510.2 of 2018 ibc. *2018* **separate permits required for mep & fire suppression work* amendment approved 2/12/21 amend new construction permit 1027527 to include horizontal exit at 2nd through 5th floors as per approved plans. .

The owner of record is 171 W Berks Alpha 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 601 units of new supply — including the 21-unit project at 1931 N 2nd St, the 13-unit project at 1935 N 2nd St, the 32-unit project at 1924 N Front 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 ~5-story by-right envelope, not the developer's design.
Units
28
Zoning
IRMX
By-right envelope
~5 stories
Lot
7,400 sq ft
Last sale
$1.5M · 2019
Cleared to build
May 7, 2020
For developers & investors

Underpriced parcels near this project

As this density arrives, InvestPHL is tracking 148 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.

~101buildable units
████████ Street
CMX2 · 0.26 mi away
Max bid to a builder $4.4M · Opportunity Score 98
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~338buildable units
████████ Street
ICMX · 0.44 mi away
Max bid to a builder $7.1M · Opportunity Score 98
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~239buildable units
████████ Street
CMX2.5 · 0.15 mi away
Max bid to a builder $4.6M · Opportunity Score 98
Unlock →
~190buildable units
████████ Street
ICMX · 0.48 mi away
Max bid to a builder $4.0M · Opportunity Score 94
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~179buildable units
████████ Street
ICMX · 0.30 mi away
Max bid to a builder $3.4M · Opportunity Score 94
Unlock →
Unlock the 148 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.

21u1931 N 2nd St0.09 mi
13u1935 N 2nd St0.10 mi
32u1924 N Front St0.11 mi
9u1751 Tilghman St0.14 mi
285u1901 N American St0.14 mi
12u1733-41 N 2nd St0.17 mi
40u2034 N 2nd St0.18 mi
8u2034 N Front St0.19 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.