Philadelphia · East Falls · #ZP-2025-003990
4401 Ridge Ave
4401 Ridge Ave, East Falls, PA · 257 homes, apartments
About this project
An eight-story multifamily building with 257 dwelling units, one ground-floor commercial space and 225 parking spaces at 4401 Ridge Avenue in East Falls.
Official description: FOR THE ERECTION OF A SEMI-DETACHED EIGHT (8) STORY STRUCTURE WITH A ROOF DECK (RESIDENTIAL USE ONLY) ACCESSED BY TWO (2) INDIVIDUAL ROOF DECK ACCESS STRUCTURES WITH AN ELEVATOR OVERRUN. FOR USE AS MULTI-FAMILY (TWO-HUNDRED FIFTY-SEVEN (257) DWELLING UNITS) HOUSEHOLD LIVING AND ONE (1) VACANT COMMERCIAL SPACE (USE REGISTRATION REQUIRED PRIOR TO OCCUPANCY) AT THE GROUND FLOOR; TO INCLUDE TWO-HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE (225) ACCESSORY PARKING SPACES, INCLUDING TEN (10) ACCESSIBLE PARKING SPACES, OF WHICH ONE (1) IS VAN-ACCESSIBLE, TWELVE (12) EV CHARGING SPACES, FORTY-SIX (46) COMPACT PARKING SPACES, TWO (2) ACCESSORY OFF-STREET LOADING SPACES, AND NINETY-SIX (96) ACCESSORY CLASS 1A BICYCLE PARKING SPACES LOCATED ALONG AN ACCESSIBLE ROUTE. SIZE AND LOCATION AS SHOWN IN THE APPLICATION/PLAN. ** PAYMENT OF AN IN-LIEU FEE OF $82,750 TO PHILADELPHIA PARKS & RECREATION (PPR) IS REQUIRED PRIOR TO BUILDING PERMIT ISSUANCE. **
- Applicant
- PHILA HOUSING AUTHORITY
- Contractor
- BABYLON RESOURCE MANAGEMENT LLC
- Plan type
- Building permit (new construction)
- Status
- Permit issued
Filing history
- 2026-03-25 · #ZP-2025-003990 · Building permit (new construction) · 257 lots/units
- 2025-11-17 · #ZP-2025-003990 · Zoning Board appeal (Variance) · 260 lots/units
The full picture AI research · Nov 1, 2026
The county filing describes an eight-story apartment building with 257 homes, one ground-floor commercial space and 225 parking spaces at 4401 Ridge Avenue in East Falls. Press reports from early 2026 described an earlier version of the plan with about 260 apartments, mostly one-bedrooms, 217 parking spaces and roughly 8,000 to 10,000 square feet of commercial space. The county filing's numbers differ, which suggests the design changed.
The site is a nearly two-acre lot owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority. It held housing until the late 1990s and has been wooded and vacant since. A 2021 plan for 185 units on the site did not go ahead. Neighbors raised concerns about traffic, parking and the large share of small units. The local community council worked with the design team and supported the building's placement along the sidewalk.
What it could mean nearby
- Hundreds of new apartments on a long-vacant lot, mostly smaller units, which could add residents near shops and transit.
- Neighbors have raised traffic and parking concerns; 225 on-site parking spaces are proposed.
- A building set at the sidewalk with ground-floor commercial space could make Ridge Avenue more walkable, though the community council earlier said the sidewalk there felt narrow.
- The steep slope on the site is why a zoning variance was needed.
Where it stands
The project went through the city's advisory design review in March 2026 and had a Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing set for 2026-03-25, the same date as the latest county filing. The outcome was not found. Next come any remaining zoning and building permits, then construction.
- Mar 25, 2026 Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing scheduled; also the latest county filing date
- Mar 3, 2026 Civic Design Review committee meeting, reported as generally positive and concluded
- Feb 18, 2026 Plans for about 260 apartments reported after being posted by the Planning Commission
- 2021 Earlier 185-unit proposal for the site, which did not proceed
Want to weigh in? The Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment decides variances at public hearings, and residents can also share views through the East Falls Community Council, the neighborhood's registered community organization.
Who's behind it
Babylon Resource Management LLC · Listed on the county filing alongside the Philadelphia Housing Authority, the site owner. No company website or description was found, and press reports named other firms, including the architect and the property manager.
Around the web
- 260-Unit Apartment Project Gets OK to Move Ahead in East FallsJack Philly RE (Substack) · Mar 4, 2026Reports on the Civic Design Review, the variance needed for the steep slope, and the 2026-03-25 zoning hearing.
- Ridge Avenue apartment building proposalThe Philadelphia Inquirer · Feb 18, 2026Describes the site, the PHA ownership, the 260-unit plan and neighbors' concerns.
- 4401 Ridge AvenuePhilly YIMBYTracks the site's history, including the earlier 185-unit proposal.
Planning terms explained
- Zoning variance
- Special permission to build something that the zoning rules would not normally allow, such as building on a steep slope.
- Civic Design Review
- An advisory city review of a large project's design, which does not approve or deny it.
- Zoning Board of Adjustment
- The city board that hears requests for variances and other exceptions to zoning rules.
- Registered community organization
- A neighborhood group the city officially notifies and consults about nearby projects.
Researched by AI from public sources on Nov 1, 2026. It can make mistakes, so check the linked sources and the municipality before relying on it.
Scope estimate for contractors
Estimated construction value: $61.7M
- ~1,542 roofing squares
- ~257 HVAC systems
- ~257 kitchens / 514+ bathrooms
- ~257,000 sq ft of finished living space
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