A new residential project has received permits at 4957 Sheldon Street in Germantown, Northwest Philadelphia. Records indicate approval for the construction of a two-story semi-detached structure with a basement, to be used as a single-family dwelling. The property is owned by Civetta Property Group. Spruce Builders LLC is listed as the contractor. Moto Designshop is responsible for designs.
4957 Sheldon Street Existing Plan via Moto Designshop
Zoning plans identify the lot as measuring approximately 2,498 square feet. The proposed building footprint is 661 square feet, representing approximately 26.4 percent lot coverage. Dimensional data included in the plan set indicates a front setback of 5 feet 8 inches, a side yard of 5 feet, and a rear yard depth of approximately 83 feet. The building height is shown at approximately 24 feet, well below the 38-foot maximum permitted within the district.
4957 Sheldon Street Proposed Plan via Moto Designshop
The property is located within an RSA-5 zoning district. The issued residential building permit authorizes the erection of a new two-story building classified for R-3 occupancy. The total construction area is listed at 1,322 square feet.
4957 Sheldon Street Plan via Moto Designshop
Drawings depict a straightforward two-story volume with the building face located at the property line and a modest set of entry steps leading to grade. The facade includes vertically aligned window openings and architectural pilasters with a 0.5-inch projection. Site plans also show proposed fencing at the rear of the property and coordination with existing curb and sidewalk conditions along Sheldon Street.
The residential building permit was issued in mid February, 2026, following zoning approval in October 2025. A construction timeline has not been disclosed.
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This 4957 Sheldon Street proposal appears quite similar to that for 4975 Sheldon, about which YIMBY posted on January 26, 2026. Even the street address numbers are the same, although in a different order.
As Paul Uttinger elegantly described on January 26th: “The house to be built at 4975 Sheldon will be a continuation of Moto Designshop’s Workforce Housing series. There are built examples in other neighborhoods. Unless plans have changed, 4975 Sheldon is intended to be a two-story model, similar to 5436 W Girard, 2320 Seybert, and 2544 S 5th. 4975 Sheldon will have a small front yard (6 feet) and its entry stair will extend out toward the street.
Several more two-story houses similar to 4975 Sheldon are planned for the area near Wister Playground: 4951 and 4961 Sheldon [and] 4925 Wakefield. The plans for 4949 Sheldon, 326 Shedaker, and 342 Shedaker are mirrored. There are similar built examples at 2318 and 2322 Seybert. Another slight variation is the narrower semi-detached two-story model planned for 4957 Sheldon. Most of these new houses will have small front yards, allowing for porches to be added in the future. A three-story model with a mansard roof is planned for the corner lot at 343-45 Shedaker, similar to the houses built at 2128 and 2136 N 7th.”
It’s great to see workforce housing new construction and the first investment in this section of Germantown in at least 80 years.