Metro Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) and its development partners broke ground Monday on the first phase of a sweeping redevelopment of Westpark Apartments, a 12-acre site that officials say will ultimately bring 1,000 new homes and expanded community amenities to West Philadelphia.
Gov. Josh Shapiro, Mayor Cherelle Parker and other local leaders joined PHA officials and development partners LMXD and MSquared to mark the start of construction on the project’s first phase, which will deliver 327 housing units across three buildings by 2028.
Nearly 140 of those units will be reserved for returning Westpark residents, and 190 will be affordable to households earning between 20% and 80% of the area median income (AMI). The homes will count toward Parker’s H.O.M.E. Initiative, a citywide effort to preserve and expand affordable housing.
“Revitalizing the Westpark community reflects our core mission to preserve and expand high-quality affordable housing opportunities across Philadelphia,” said Kelvin Jeremiah, PHA’s President and CEO. He called the redevelopment a “major transformation” for North and West Philadelphia neighborhoods.
The first phase includes a newly constructed mid-rise building with 145 units and 1,300 square feet of retail space aimed at local businesses. It also includes the rehabilitation of an existing southern tower with 141 homes and the construction of 41 additional homes on the southern portion of the campus.
Plans call for more than one acre of open space during the initial phase, including an accessible pathway connecting the site to the SEPTA station at 46th and Market streets. A new pedestrian plaza will link residents directly to transit, and a planned ground-floor community center will provide on-site vocational, educational and health services.
The state awarded PHA $2.6 million through Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program. The federal government is contributing $21.4 million in infrastructure funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration, and the city is investing $3 million through its Department of Housing and Community Development.
“Building and preserving housing that strengthens communities and provides a safe, stable place for Pennsylvanians to live is a key foundation for growth and opportunity,” said Shapiro, who announced his Housing Action Plan last month. “That’s why the Commonwealth is investing to help build 327 new units in West Philadelphia and preserve housing for Pennsylvanians that call this place home.”
Parker praised the collaboration among government and private partners, calling the redevelopment “a true testament to what we can achieve by working together.”
Once complete, the redeveloped Westpark campus will feature 1,000 housing units, two community spaces, retail offerings, comprehensive social services and four acres of public, open space. Officials said the development will be fully electric and incorporate rainwater capture and other low-carbon design features.
Construction on the full redevelopment is expected to wrap up in 2027, with the first phase finishing the following year.
“This project will solidify affordability on a gentrifying corridor for decades to come,” Councilmember Jamie Gauthier said. “This is what community-minded development looks like.”