1614-20 Ridge AveUnder construction

A 32-unit residential building is set to rise at 1614-20 Ridge Ave in Fairmount & Art Museum, the kind of by-right infill quietly reshaping the block. It was cleared to build in Apr 13, 2021.

The 11,251 sq ft site is zoned CMX2.5, which supports a building on the order of 5 stories by right. Records show the parcel last traded in 2018 for $1.8M. The plans call for for the erection of five story structure (1st floor - ia construction 2nd - 5th floor - va construction). for use as (32) dwelling units with three (3) vacant commercial spaces (u&o and co required separately) with accessory parking and bicycle parking spaces. entire building to be sprinklered per nfpa 13/13r and equipped with standpipes. separate permit required for mep and fire suppression work. building to be constructed with type b and type a dwelling units. no roof deck on this permit for residential occupancy. roof access structure for access to mechanical purposes only. amendment approved as of 01/21/2026: to revise means of egress to add a door in the corridor at 2nd through 5th floor per amended plans. amendment approved as of 08/05/2026: to create a horizontal exit from 2nd through 5th floors per approved amended plans.

The owner of record is Echo Philly Properties 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 374 units of new supply — including the 11-unit project at 1630-32 Ridge Ave, the 12-unit project at 1638 Ridge Ave, the 17-unit project at 1633-43 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?