Market Insights  /  Fairmount & Art Museum
Development Watch · Fairmount & Art Museum

1600 W Girard AveUnder construction

202-unit residential new construction, zoned CMX3.

A 202-unit residential building is set to rise at 1600 W Girard Ave in Fairmount & Art Museum, one of the larger new-construction projects underway in Philadelphia this cycle. It was cleared to build in Sep 2, 2021.

The 41,703 sq ft site is zoned CMX3, which supports a building on the order of 7 stories by right. Records show the parcel last traded in 2021 for $12M. The plans call for new construction of a seven (7) story structure to include vacant commercial space (use registration & fit-out permits required prior to occupancy), two hundred two (202) dwelling units and accessory parking garage as per approved plans. building to utilize horizontal separations to create two (2) separate buildings with two (2) different construction types (cellar, 1st & 2nd floors - type ia and 3rd through 7th floors - type iiia). fire retardant treated studs and sheathing required for type iii construction. building to be fully sprinklered per nfpa 13 and include standpipes per nfpa 14. fire watch required per code bulletin. *2018 ibc review* **separate permits required for mep & fire suppression work** amendment approved 12/8/21 amend new construction permit no. cp-2020-005568 for changes to building layout as per approved plans. amendment approved 11/17/24 amend new construction permit no. cp-2020-005568 for changes to building layout throughout including reduction in parking areas and increase in number of dwelling units to two hundred nine (209) total units as per approved plans. .

The owner of record is 1600 W Girard Ave Ground Owner Ll. 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 292 units of new supply — including the 17-unit project at 1633-43 Ridge Ave, the 13-unit project at 1435 W Girard Ave, the 12-unit project at 1638 Ridge Ave. 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 ~7-story by-right envelope, not the developer's design.
Units
202
Zoning
CMX3
By-right envelope
~7 stories
Lot
41,703 sq ft
Last sale
$12M · 2021
Cleared to build
Sep 2, 2021
For developers & investors

Underpriced parcels near this project

As this density arrives, InvestPHL is tracking 74 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.

~86buildable units
████████ Street
CMX4 · 0.32 mi away
Max bid to a builder $5.9M · Opportunity Score 100
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~75buildable units
████████ Street
CMX4 · 0.29 mi away
Max bid to a builder $5.1M · Opportunity Score 100
Unlock →
~303buildable units
████████ Street
CMX4 · 0.39 mi away
Max bid to a builder $14M · Opportunity Score 99
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~92buildable units
████████ Street
CMX4 · 0.18 mi away
Max bid to a builder $4.4M · Opportunity Score 99
Unlock →
~97buildable units
████████ Street
CMX2.5 · 0.28 mi away
Max bid to a builder $4.6M · Opportunity Score 98
Unlock →
Unlock the 74 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.

17u1633-43 Ridge Ave0.10 mi
13u1435 W Girard Ave0.13 mi
12u1638 Ridge Ave0.13 mi
11u1630-32 Ridge Ave0.14 mi
49u918 N Broad St0.18 mi
12u1822 Ridge Ave0.18 mi
70u915-23 N Broad St0.23 mi
19u1412 N 17th St0.28 mi
Progress

How this project is moving

Life-safety systems ⚠ Status unclear — no recent activity
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.