Market Insights  /  University City & Powelton
Development Watch · University City & Powelton

42 N 40th StDelivered

9-unit residential new construction, zoned RM1.

A 9-unit residential building is set to rise at 42 N 40th St in University City & Powelton, the kind of by-right infill quietly reshaping the block. It was cleared to build in May 14, 2021.

The 2,875 sq ft site is zoned RM1, which supports a building on the order of 3 stories by right. Records show the parcel last traded in 2020 for $500K. The plans call for for the erection of an attached structure. for use as household living (nine (9) dwelling units), utilizing the mixed-income bonus. building to be fully sprinklered. separate permits required for m.e.p.s work.

The owner of record is Han Holdings 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 1,047 units of new supply — including the 95-unit project at 4050 Ludlow St, the 14-unit project at 3932-36 Mount Vernon St, the 12-unit project at 4245 Sansom 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 ~3-story by-right envelope, not the developer's design.
Units
9
Zoning
RM1
By-right envelope
~3 stories
Lot
2,875 sq ft
Last sale
$500K · 2020
Cleared to build
May 14, 2021
For developers & investors

Underpriced parcels near this project

As this density arrives, InvestPHL is tracking 108 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.

~238buildable units
████████ Street
CMX2 · 0.44 mi away
Max bid to a builder $3.7M · Opportunity Score 97
Unlock →
~283buildable units
████████ Street
CMX4 · 0.30 mi away
Max bid to a builder $4.4M · Opportunity Score 97
Unlock →
~283buildable units
████████ Street
CMX4 · 0.30 mi away
Max bid to a builder $4.4M · Opportunity Score 97
Unlock →
~283buildable units
████████ Street
CMX4 · 0.30 mi away
Max bid to a builder $4.6M · Opportunity Score 97
Unlock →
~283buildable units
████████ Street
CMX4 · 0.30 mi away
Max bid to a builder $4.4M · Opportunity Score 97
Unlock →
Unlock the 108 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.

95u4050 Ludlow St0.18 mi
14u3932-36 Mount Vernon St0.34 mi
12u4245 Sansom St0.36 mi
8u657 N Preston St0.41 mi
363u3615 Chestnut St0.43 mi
363u3615 Chestnut St0.43 mi
10u644-46 N 40th St0.43 mi
9u675 N 41st St0.45 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.