Philadelphia · East Germantown · #ZP-2025-008480
610-40 High St
610-40 High St, East Germantown, PA · 35 homes, apartments
About this project
A zoning variance application covers three detached buildings with 35 multi-family units and 44 parking spaces at 610-40 High Street in East Germantown, Philadelphia. The plan includes roof decks, nine private garages and landscape screening.
Official description: Permit for the erection of three detached structures, to include roof decks accessed from the interior (Type A Units only), and 9 interior parking garages (Type D Units only). Site improvements to include surface parking spaces and landscape screening. Size and location per plan. For the proposed use of Multi-Family Household Living (35 units total) with accessory parking (44 spaces total: 35 surface spaces (include 2 accessible) and 9 private garage spaces).
- Applicant
- HIGH STREET ASSOCIATES LL
- Plan type
- Zoning Board appeal (Variance)
- Status
- Zoning Board: Scheduled, hearing 2026-10-06
Filing history
- 2026-01-07 · #ZP-2025-008480 · Zoning Board appeal (Variance)
The full picture AI research · Nov 1, 2026
The plan is for 35 market-rate rental homes at 610-40 High Street in East Germantown. County records describe three detached buildings, while news coverage describes townhomes and duplexes arranged around an inner parking lot. The design includes 44 parking spaces, nine private garages, roof decks and landscape screening.
The site is now a large, grassy vacant lot near Awbury Arboretum. News coverage says it has a history of illegal dumping. The land is zoned for single-family homes, so the developer needs a zoning variance, which is special permission to depart from the zoning rules. The developer describes the rents as aimed at moderate incomes rather than ultra-luxury.
The city's design review panel looked at the project twice in 2026. A later revision reportedly trims the unit count to 34, with less parking and more green space. The sources do not agree on the count. No organized opposition was reported.
What it could mean nearby
- Adds about 35 rental homes (34 in a later revision) on a vacant, formerly dumped-on lot.
- Parking is mostly inside the site, with 44 spaces. City reviewers said the design still favors cars over residents, so access and street design may get further attention.
- Landscape screening and added green space are part of the plan, which could soften the view for neighbors.
- Moving from single-family zoning to multifamily housing is the main change neighbors will notice.
Where it stands
The project went through city Civic Design Review in May and September 2026, and a Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing was scheduled for May 13, 2026. No decision on the variance was found. After the variance, the developer would normally apply for building permits. The developer hopes to start building by mid-2027.
- Jun 2027 Developer's hoped-for construction start (mid-2027, could shift)
- Sep 1, 2026 Second Civic Design Review of the project
- May 13, 2026 Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing scheduled
- May 5, 2026 First Civic Design Review of the project
- Jan 7, 2026 Latest county filing, a zoning variance application
Want to weigh in? The Zoning Board of Adjustment decides the variance, and residents can usually comment at its public hearing or through the city's zoning notices and registered community groups.
Who's behind it
Liberty Bell Management (developer); High Street Associates LLC (owner of record) · City review documents name Liberty Bell Management as developer and High Street Associates LLC as property owner. No further information on the developer's other projects was found.
Around the web
- 610-40 High Street 2nd Review, September 1, 2026City of Philadelphia · Sep 1, 2026Records the second Civic Design Review and lists the owner, developer and zoning.
- New apartments are planned for Germantown parcel with history of illegal dumpingWHYY · Apr 27, 2026Describes the 35 rental homes, the vacant site, the variance need, the May hearing and the mid-2027 target start.
Planning terms explained
- Zoning variance
- Permission from the zoning board to build something the zoning rules don't normally allow.
- Zoning Board of Adjustment
- The city board that hears variance requests and decides them after a public hearing.
- Civic Design Review
- An advisory city review of larger projects by architects and planners, whose recommendations the developer is not required to follow.
- RSA-5
- A residential zoning category for single-family attached homes, such as rowhouses.
- Market-rate
- Housing rented at going market prices, with no subsidy or income limits.
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: $8.4M
- ~210 roofing squares
- ~35 HVAC systems
- ~35 kitchens / 70+ bathrooms
- ~35,000 sq ft of finished living space