Market Insights  /  Northern Liberties
Development Watch · Northern Liberties

901 Buttonwood StUnder construction

40-unit residential new construction, zoned CMX3.

A 40-unit residential building is set to rise at 901 Buttonwood St in Northern Liberties, a mid-scale addition to one of the city's busier development corridors. It was cleared to build in Dec 30, 2021.

The 5,422 sq ft site is zoned CMX3, which supports a building on the order of 7 stories by right. The parcel last changed hands in 2021. The plans call for new construction of a seven (7) story structure with walk out roof decks at 7th floor level for use as shell commercial space (use registration & fit-out permits required prior to occupancy) and forty (40) dwelling units with accessory parking garage as per approved plans. building to utilize horizontal separations to create two (2) separate buildings with two (2) different construction types (basement, 1st & 2nd floors - type ia and 3rd through 7th floors - type iiib). 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 f-2001. *2018 ibc review* **separate permits required for mep & fire suppression work** amendment (4/11/2022) to add a horizontal exit in order to eliminate the need for backup power for the elevator as per plans. elevator no longer part of the accessible means of egress.

The owner of record is 718 Allen 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, 8 other major projects have broken ground since 2022 — roughly 478 units of new supply — including the 31-unit project at 326 N 12th St, the 51-unit project at 217 N 9th St, the 23-unit project at 1314-32 Spring Garden 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 ~7-story by-right envelope, not the developer's design.
Units
40
Zoning
CMX3
By-right envelope
~7 stories
Lot
5,422 sq ft
Last sale
2021
Cleared to build
Dec 30, 2021
For developers & investors

Underpriced parcels near this project

As this density arrives, InvestPHL is tracking 149 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.

~114buildable units
████████ Street
CMX4 · 0.40 mi away
Max bid to a builder $8.0M · Opportunity Score 100
Unlock →
~98buildable units
████████ Street
CMX4 · 0.41 mi away
Max bid to a builder $6.7M · Opportunity Score 100
Unlock →
~79buildable units
████████ Street
ICMX · 0.31 mi away
Max bid to a builder $5.4M · Opportunity Score 100
Unlock →
~77buildable units
████████ Street
ICMX · 0.13 mi away
Max bid to a builder $5.3M · Opportunity Score 100
Unlock →
~85buildable units
████████ Street
ICMX · 0.31 mi away
Max bid to a builder $5.8M · Opportunity Score 100
Unlock →
Unlock the 149 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.

31u326 N 12th St0.33 mi
51u217 N 9th St0.33 mi
23u1314-32 Spring Garden St0.38 mi
24u1315 Ridge Ave0.40 mi
74u502 Wood St0.40 mi
119u619-29 N Broad St0.45 mi
81u225 N 13th St0.46 mi
75u416-24 Vine St0.47 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.