A couple of weeks ago, we told you about plans for a 21-unit building at 31st & Spring Garden, just before or after the Spring Garden Bridge, depending on where you’re coming from (or going to).

Today, we have an update on another multi-unit project being constructed just to the west, on the 3200 block of Spring Garden Street. At 3221 Spring Garden St., construction is underway for a 24-unit five-story building, with a ground-floor commercial space, decks on the second floor and balconies on the third through fifth, and 13 parking spaces. The building was designed by Harman Deutsch, and we first told you about it last summer.

A year ago

Current view

In University City, the rapidly growing Drexel is engaged in a development campaign with the fervor of a freshman at his first keg party. For example: plans for a 24-story dorm at 34th & Lancaster with dorm space for 1,200 students, plus plans for the triangular parcel at 32nd & Market it acquired for $8.9M this spring, plus 860 new beds as part of Chestnut Square, the $97.6M project at 32nd & Chestnut.

So it’s no surprise to see private developers picking off vacant lots near the school and building as much student housing as they possibly can. Areas closer to campus include impressive and attractive mini mansions, but a little farther out there’s still a decent amount of vacant land to be found. Heck, look at 40th & Baring, a block that has changed completely in the past couple of years. As the University continues to grow, we imagine neighborhoods like Powelton Village and Mantua will continue to be interesting to developers in the years to come. At least as long as there’s still vacant land to be had.

–Lou Mancinelli