New apartments are planned for Germantown parcel with history of illegal dumping

Have a question about Philly’s neighborhoods or the systems that shape them? PlanPhilly reporters want to hear from you! Ask us a question or send us a story idea you think we should cover.

A proposed development would bring 35 new rental units to a large vacant lot near Awbury Arboretum in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood.

The market-rate project on High Street calls for a mix of townhomes and duplexes ringing an inner parking lot with 44 spaces.

The townhomes are set to have three bedrooms while the duplexes would all be two-bedroom units. And while they won’t be subsidized, the monthly rents will be affordable to people with moderate incomes, based on neighborhood statistics rather than the city as a whole.

As of 2024, the median household income for Germantown in 2024 was $53,161, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts.

“They’re not ultra-luxury or intended to be super high-priced,” said Scott Woodruff, chief operating officer at Designblendz Architecture.

If the project is approved, the homes will rise on a grassy parcel with a history of illegal dumping.

The developer, Liberty Bell Management, must secure a variance — permission to deviate from zoning law — before construction can start. Currently, the land is zoned for single-family homes and not for a multifamily project.

A hearing before the Zoning Board of Adjustment is scheduled for May 13.

Woodruff said the hope is to start building by the middle of 2027.

“That’s the intention. Obviously things ebb and flow,” he said.

Before the zoning hearing, the project will be considered by the city’s Civic Design Review Committee. The advisory group, composed of architects and planners, provides feedback on proposed developments. And while developers are not required to adopt the committee’s recommendations, they are strongly encouraged to incorporate them into their designs before finalizing them.

The proposal comes as private developers continue to invest in Germantown as part of a wave of new residential projects.

Until a few years ago, few developers wanted to invest in Germantown. More than a dozen companies have now entered the market, raising concerns about affordability among residents.