A significant new multi-family development is on the horizon for 901 North Penn Street, located in the vibrant Northern Liberties area of North Philadelphia. Renderings for the seven-story building, designed by HDO Architecture, have been released, revealing plans for 193 residential units. This development at Penn Street promises to bring substantial changes to the neighborhood, adding much-needed housing and modern architectural design.
Exterior rendering of 901 North Penn Street, showcasing the modern facade and window design.
The ground floor of the Penn Street building will accommodate 75 parking spaces, including ADA-compliant and electric vehicle spots, along with 65 bicycle parking spaces, catering to various transportation needs. The total area of the development will span an impressive 189,229 square feet, signaling a large-scale addition to the Penn Street corridor.
Street-level perspective of 901 North Penn Street, highlighting the brick facade and pedestrian scale elements.
Modern Design and Architectural Features on Penn Street
The architectural design of 901 North Penn Street shares a distinct resemblance to its neighboring project at 933 North Penn Street, creating a cohesive aesthetic along the street. HDO Architecture has opted for a modern exterior, primarily utilizing metal paneling and hardie plank siding across the upper six floors. The design incorporates white metal paneling to frame the large windows vertically, contrasted by darker gray hardie planks, offering a contemporary visual appeal to the Penn Street development.
Detailed architectural rendering of 901 North Penn Street, showing the metal paneling and hardie plank siding materials.
At street level, the building will feature brickwork and floor-to-ceiling windows, aiming to enhance its street presence. While the absence of retail spaces and the inclusion of a curb cut might slightly detract from pedestrian engagement, the planned street trees along the ground floor are intended to soften the built environment and improve the streetscape along Penn Street.
Rendering of the ground floor of 901 North Penn Street, illustrating the brick facade, street trees, and entrance design.
Amenities and Site Context of the New Penn Street Apartments
Despite the large site area, the multi-family building itself will occupy only a portion of the property. Plans include outdoor amenity spaces and a dog run for residents, enhancing the living experience at this Penn Street location. However, a significant portion of the site’s rear area, facing the Delaware River, is allocated to surface parking, providing additional parking capacity for the development.
Site plan rendering of 901 North Penn Street, depicting the building footprint, amenity spaces, and surface parking layout.
The development is situated on a notably large vacant lot, a rarity in this part of the city. This location on Penn Street is adjacent to Waterfront Square, a large residential complex developed in the 2000s, which currently dominates the Northern Liberties skyline. Previous plans for the site envisioned more high-rise towers, but these were unfortunately halted due to past economic challenges. The current vacant lot represents a missed opportunity for denser development, making the new project a welcome step towards realizing the site’s potential on Penn Street.
Aerial view rendering of 901 North Penn Street within the Northern Liberties context, showing proximity to Waterfront Square.
Bird's eye rendering of 901 North Penn Street, showcasing the building's scale and design within the urban environment.
A Significant Development for North Penn Street and Northern Liberties
The 901 North Penn Street project marks a substantial change for this part of Northern Liberties. Developing this underutilized property with a large-scale residential building aligns with the area’s intended density and will introduce hundreds of new residential units to the Penn Street corridor. While the scale of the new development is modest compared to earlier, more ambitious plans for the site, it still represents a major and positive addition to the neighborhood. Future opportunities may arise to repurpose the surface parking areas for even greater residential density, further enhancing the urban fabric of Penn Street.
Historical image of former development plans for the Waterfront Square area, illustrating previous visions for the site.
Rendering of 901 North Penn Street emphasizing the building's height and relationship to the surrounding urban context.
Nighttime rendering of 901 North Penn Street, highlighting the building's illuminated windows and urban presence after dark.
Close-up rendering of the facade of 901 North Penn Street, showing material details and window patterns.
This new development at 901 North Penn Street is poised to be a transformative project, bringing new residents and modern living spaces to Northern Liberties, and contributing significantly to the ongoing evolution of Penn Street.
