20-unit residential new construction, zoned RSA5.
A four-story, 20-unit building is under way at 716 N 43rd Street in University City, cleared to build under RSA5 zoning. The semi-detached structure will include a partial basement, front porch, and rooftop mechanical access, with full NFPA 13 sprinkler coverage throughout. The project, developed by 716 43rd LLC, requires a recorded deed of consolidation before occupancy—a sign that multiple parcels have been merged to accommodate the footprint.
The development slots into a notably active corridor for mid-rise multifamily construction. Within a half mile, builders have put up or are working on roughly 277 units, including a 31-unit project at 4324 Lancaster Avenue and a cluster of smaller nine- and ten-unit jobs scattered along Lancaster, Belmont, and Ogden. The neighborhood's RSA5 by-right allowances—modest height, no variances needed—have made it a predictable bet for developers assembling narrow or irregularly shaped lots.
The deed-consolidation requirement here is a practical tell: someone stitched together land to hit viable unit counts without needing special approvals. That same playbook is likely to repeat on adjacent parcels where older rowhouses sit on tax-delinquent or otherwise underutilized ground. With 716 43rd LLC moving forward, nearby owners holding similarly sized assemblages now have a fresh comp for what pencils in this stretch of West Philadelphia.
📄 View the project's plan drawings (PDF)As this density arrives, InvestPHL is tracking 90 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 90 nearby opportunities →Major (8+ unit) new-construction projects filed within a half-mile since 2022 — the density gathering around this site.