Market Insights  /  Old City & Society Hill
Development Watch · Old City & Society Hill

248 N Lawrence StUnder construction

5-unit residential new construction, zoned CMX3.

A 5-unit residential building is set to rise at 248 N Lawrence St in Old City & Society Hill, the kind of by-right infill quietly reshaping the block. It was cleared to build in May 23, 2025.

The 1,531 sq ft site is zoned CMX3, which supports a building on the order of 5 stories by right. Records show the parcel last traded in 2024 for $548K. The plans call for for the erection of an attached structure to include a roof deck and two (2) roof deck access structures. for use as a five (5) dwelling units. building to be fully sprinklered per nfpa 13. separate approval required from pa l&i for elevator and platform lift installation. deffered shop drawings review and approval required for the proposed deep foundation prior to foundation installation. amendment#1 to change floor layout and reinforced mat foundation. amendment#2 to add horizontal exits on 2nd to 5th floors. amendment #3 (9-9-2026) for changes to sheets a1.1 & a3.1 as per the approved amended construction documents.

The owner of record is 248 N Lawrence 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, 7 other major projects have broken ground since 2022 — roughly 365 units of new supply — including the 75-unit project at 416-24 Vine St, the 74-unit project at 502 Wood St, the 34-unit project at 322-40 Race 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
5
Zoning
CMX3
By-right envelope
~5 stories
Lot
1,531 sq ft
Last sale
$548K · 2024
Cleared to build
May 23, 2025
For developers & investors

Underpriced parcels near this project

As this density arrives, InvestPHL is tracking 79 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.

~328buildable units
████████ Street
CMX4 · 0.44 mi away
Max bid to a builder $23M · Opportunity Score 100
Unlock →
~100buildable units
████████ Street
IRMX · 0.48 mi away
Max bid to a builder $7.0M · Opportunity Score 100
Unlock →
~58buildable units
████████ Street
CMX3 · 0.29 mi away
Max bid to a builder $4.0M · Opportunity Score 100
Unlock →
~208buildable units
████████ Street
CMX3 · 0.43 mi away
Max bid to a builder $14M · Opportunity Score 100
Unlock →
~134buildable units
████████ Street
CMX3 · 0.26 mi away
Max bid to a builder $9.2M · Opportunity Score 99
Unlock →
Unlock the 79 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.

75u416-24 Vine St0.02 mi
74u502 Wood St0.09 mi
34u322-40 Race St0.13 mi
85u230-36 Vine St0.18 mi
11u225 Quarry St0.20 mi
35u208-12 Vine St0.22 mi
51u217 N 9th St0.36 mi
Progress

How this project is moving

Life-safety systems ~78% 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.