1348 S 32nd StUnder construction

A seven-story, 49-unit apartment building is under construction at 1348 S 32nd St, straddling the Graduate Hospital and Point Breeze boundary. The project, cleared to build in September 2025, will include ground-floor commercial space beneath the residential stack, rising on an 8,741-square-foot lot zoned CMX3. Recent amendments have involved changes to special inspection agencies, partition layouts, and truss submittals—standard mid-construction adjustments as the structure takes shape.

Hero House Holdings LP has held the site since 2015, sitting on what was likely an underused parcel for a decade before moving forward. The by-right CMX3 zoning accommodates this scale without requiring variances, reflecting the city's intent to encourage denser mixed-use development along corridors connecting these two neighborhoods. The commercial component, while not yet leased or detailed, positions the building as more than just a residential infill play—it's a minor anchor in an area that's seen scattered but persistent development.

The surrounding wave has been modest but steady. Within a half mile, only about 20 units have recently delivered or are in progress, including an 11-unit project at 3615 Sears St and a 9-unit development at 2732 Manton St. This isn't a construction frenzy, but it's a measured uptick that suggests developers see opportunity without overwhelming risk. Hero House's 49 units will be the largest piece in this immediate cluster, setting a new ceiling for what's feasible on mid-sized lots in the zone.

The project underscores how even parcels held for years can eventually pencil out when zoning, market timing, and ownership patience align. With CMX3 covering plenty of underbuilt corners in the area, this one offers a template—though the long hold and multi-year construction cycle also hint at the friction still involved in getting mid-rise wood-frame residential off the ground in Philadelphia.