A recent site visit by Philly YIMBY has observed that construction is well underway at a seven-story, 196-unit multi-family development at 933 North Penn Street in Northern Liberties, North Philadelphia. Designed by HDO Architecture, the building rises on the Delaware River waterfront and will feature a pedestrian promenade. The structure will span 187,636 square feet of gross floor area and will include parking for 57 cars and 66 bicycles.
933 Penn Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. October 2024
The development will consist of a single building with a roughly square footprint measuring 192 by 168 feet. Aside from a lobby and amenity space at the northwest corner, the ground floor will consist chiefly of parking space. The residential portion will rise above as a u-shaped mass that opens toward the river with a courtyard housing a landscaped deck. The exterior, comprised of a crisp white grid, black paneling, and floor-to-ceiling windows will create an understated yet sophisticated effect.
At the moment, the building stands topped out, although cladding installation has not yet commenced. The structure already has a noticeable presence, though the nearby trio of Waterfront Square towers continues to dominate the surrounding cityscape.
933 Penn Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. October 2024
933 Penn Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. October 2024
933 Penn Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. October 2024
933 Penn Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. October 2024
933 Penn Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. October 2024
933 Penn Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. October 2024
933 Penn Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. October 2024
Although the planned structure will be reasonably large, it will be significantly underbuilt given what the zoning at the CMX-3 site allows for. In its current form, the proposal will yield a floor-to-area ratio of only 1.36:1, well below the 5:1 ratio that would be possible under current zoning. One of the apparent reasons for this underbuilt configuration is that the development does not seem to take advantage of various bonuses that would allow for a height increase, which, in turn, would allow for more interior space. The current height limit at the site, likely not accounting for bulkheads, appears to be capped at 84 feet. Although no specific building height has been specified, project documentation explicitly states that the structure will stand below the above-mentioned height mark.
Rendering of 933 North Penn Street. Credit: HDO Architecture.
Aerial view of 933 North Penn Street. Credit: Google.
Rendering of 933 North Penn Street. Credit: HDO Architecture.
Rendering of 933 North Penn Street. Credit: HDO Architecture.
Rendering of 933 North Penn Street. Credit: HDO Architecture.
Rendering of 933 North Penn Street. Credit: HDO Architecture.
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Thank you for the update Vitali.
The original developers of Waterfront Square (currently three ugly high-rises with the final two not built because of the 2008 Great Recession) are finally moving to complete work at their property, but they’ve pivoted in their approach. Instead of towers, there is the under-construction, seven-story, 195-unit building at 933 N. Penn St. and a planned seven-story, 193-unit apartment house at 901 N. Penn St., the latter with 201 structured auto parking spots in addition to a small surface lot.
HDO Architecture-designed 933 N. Penn St was announced in September 2021 and site prep started in March 2023. Located on what was then a surface parking lot next to Rivers Casino on the border between Fishtown and Northern Liberties, the development creates 195 residential units and riverfront commercial space. Plans include a seven-story, 84 foot tall, 187,636 square foot building with 195 residential units, 57 parking spaces, 66 bicycle spots, a green roof, a roof deck, and a second floor deck. The structure’s facade is brick, Hardie plank lip siding, and metal panels.
Easily the most interesting part of the project is what is planned along the river — a landscaped and hardscaped public outdoor space that includes seating, tables, paths, a canopy, a dog park, and room for two food trucks (see illustration above). There may be a public restroom, which is desperately needed along the Delaware River Trail. Unfortunately, there are no plans for activating the whole pier, which is part of the property. The pier remains fenced off, overgrown, dilapidated, and unsafe.
IMO, a small, bland, box-of-a-building with a great (but incomplete) public space.