Last updated on May 22nd, 2024 at 02:10 am

Philadelphia developers spent over $8.3 billion on multifamily construction between 2000 and 2016. These numbers placed the city high in the national rankings in terms of raw spending and per-capita multifamily construction spending. Continuing optimism in the Philadelphia market is supported by an impressive market report, which highlighted the 4,000 plus construction units delivered in 2017, the highest annual total in the city’s history.

The primary factor responsible for the booming multifamily construction market is the city’s dramatic increase in population. The constant demand for more urban living space has been consistently answered by the construction industry. Old and new firms continue to shape the city’s architectural and housing landscapes, delivering construction, renovation, and restoration services to major multifamily developers and investors.  

The list below presents the top nine multifamily contractors in Philadelphia. These companies are responsible for building multi-residential housing units that range from market-rate apartments, mid-tier residences, townhomes, duplexes, and luxe-condominium units. These rankings are based on the firms’ completed works in the city as well as the awards and recognition these projects have earned. We also considered the firms’ years of service, their principals’ background, and their affiliations with the biggest institutions in the industry. The scoring also favored the value of each of the firm’s work, as well as the size and quality of their portfolio. 

If you are thinking about building a multifamily project, we recommend checking each builder’s license with the local licensing board, speaking to past clients, and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes from at least 3 contractors. Getting multiple bids is the best way to ensure you get a fair price and that bids include the complete scope of work.

 

 

Northeast Construction, Inc

8353 Hegerman St., Philadelphia, PA 19136

Northeast Construction is a general contractor that performs multifamily and commercial interior/exterior renovations. For its multifamily market, it has completed multiple high-volume unit renovations and capital improvement works that include hallway and entryway renovations, amenity buildings, lounges, and fitness center construction. For its commercial division, the firm offers a wide spectrum of services for clients in need of tenant improvement for office build-outs, fit-outs, as well as construction of restaurants, gym centers, and pharmaceutical laboratories. 

The firm holds multiple affiliations with the industry’s biggest organizations such as the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the Pennsylvania Apartment Association (PAA), and the Builder Owners’ and Managers’ Association of Philadelphia (BOMA). As a woman-owned business, the firm is also a member of Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE). Led by April Slobodrian, the company offers general contracting services and ventures into the construction management industry as well. Its expertise in both aspects of the development makes it a preferred builder for investors and homeowners. Over the past decade, it has completed a variety of apartment and condominium projects throughout Philadelphia.

The firm has a long list of clients and multifamily projects that include the Post Brothers Apartments, Deluca Homes, Kravitz Properties, Morgan Properties, Wyncote House Apartments, and Homes Properties, to name just a few. Iron Hill Real Estate Partners, Cross Properties, and Metropolitan Properties America are some of its most recent high-value clients.


Reed Street Builders

2501 Wharton St. Suite K, Philadelphia PA 19146

Since 2013 Reed Street Builders has worked with a wide range of commercial, mixed-use, multifamily, and single residential markets within and outside of Philadelphia. Under the leadership of three principals, Pete Pelullo, Salvatore Jalilvand, and Elliot O’Neill, the company offers an impressive scope of services. Aside from general contracting, the firm is a developer capable of managing property development projects. Additionally, it has a commercial plumbing division that offers a variety of mechanical services. 

The company’s wise, efficient, and cost-effective approach to renovation, expansion, and new construction make the firm a choice builder for market-rate and luxury multifamily buildings. Even after completing a project, the company extends its scope to offer post-construction services. Such services include—but are not limited to—as-built documentation, systems training, warranty programs, and monitors.

The Bradford—a 20-unit luxury apartment building—is one of the firm’s notable works in the city. The project was built based on thoughtful and highly customized floor plans. Inspired by modern urban home design, the structure is characterized by clean and elegant finishings and high-quality fixtures. The building is also equipped with remote access climate control. Additionally, included in the contract is the construction of other luxury amenities that give residents the comfort and convenience of true modern living. 


Fairchance Construction Company

77 S. Morgantown St., Fairchance, PA 15436

As one of the oldest companies in the region, Fairchance Construction’s century of service has allowed it to evolve. Today it is a multi-faceted general contractor that is equipped with the experience, skills, and manpower to serve a wide range of complex market segments. The firm’s clients come from the automotive, commercial, healthcare, hospitality, industrial, religious, and multi-residential industries. With an impressive and massive service scope, the company has an expansive reach that extends across Georgia, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Maryland, Indiana, Virginia, South Carolina, and even The Bahamas. 

The principal, Edward Balling, comes from a long line of builders. As the company’s third-generation owner, his professional achievements and his leadership are truly commendable. Balling is a 2018 Smart50 Honoree and his efforts to continue his family’s legacy in construction has earned the firm a 2017 Family Business Award. His reputation has continuously elevated the firm’s status in the city’s multifamily market and has allowed the company to secure huge contracts for monumental projects.

For instance, when the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency funded a project for the McKeesport Housing Authority, the company successfully secured the contract and exceeded the organization’s expectations. The build-out was on 5.5-acres land and consisted of ten two-story buildings. Of the 58 apartment units, 24 were designed to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. Aside from delivering the project on time, the firm also easily completed the construction within the allotted budget. 


Tester Construction Group

1541 Ridge Ave. Suite #1, Philadelphia, PA 19130

Tester Construction may be a newcomer to Philadelphia, but as a construction management and general contracting firm, it has the skills and the manpower to handle every aspect of construction. Since its establishment, it has been responsible for building and developing high-quality, enduring structures for its mixed-use and multifamily clients. 

Michael Tester, the firm’s founder, has over 15 years of experience in architectural design, cost estimation, procurement, and project management. He founded the firm in 2017. Additionally, since Tester is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified professional, the company can deliver design and construction projects according to the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) standard for sustainable, energy-efficient structures.   

One of the company’s projects is the Fairmount Greenery, located at 817 N 20th Street. It is a modern 21-unit apartment building that the firm completed for Stamm Development Group.


Dale Corporation

70 Limekiln Pike, Glenside, PA 19038

Fifty years of success in the construction industry highlights Dale Corporation’s reputation as a leading builder of commercial, mixed-use, and multi-residential structures throughout Pennsylvania. The firm’s long history of projects enabled it to create an extensive database; that readily accessible information allows the company to generate accurate cost and material benchmarking even at the early stages of its projects.

Eric Lintner, the firm’s CEO, believes that the company’s biggest asset is its people. For Lintner, and the other principals before him, the firm is more than just a sterile corporation; it’s a family. Many third-generation employees comprise the company’s team of design, construction, and business experts. These workers bring with them the wisdom of the previous generations and the legacy of their own families, collectively delivering memorable and enduring projects to Pennsylvania’s investors and developers.

Another interesting highlight of the company is its commitment to sustainable construction. Energy-efficiency characterizes many of the company’s projects. The Spring Arts Point Townhouses, for instance, is a 109,000-square foot multifamily construction project for New Urban Ventures. To complete the contemporary, open-concept homes that feature cutting edge energy efficient design, the firm collaborated with David Slovic Associates. That partnership delivered 60 contemporary townhouses designed to create a welcoming community for its residents. The project included garden spaces, private tards, rooftop decks for social gatherings, and off-street parking for each unit.


Equinox

1521 N 31st St. Suite #100, Philadelphia, PA 19121

When Jonathan Weiss founded Equinox, he made sure that sustainable construction would remain at the heart of the company’s business practices. Since its establishment in 1996, the firm has stayed loyal to its vision of building green structures that adhere to USGBC’s standards of energy efficiency and sustainability. Over the years, the firm has revitalized existing urban neighborhoods as well as reusing, renovating, and updating many of the region’s enduring buildings through smart, high-quality, durable construction methods.

Real estate development, property management, and general contracting are the primary services that the firm offers. Multi-residential, student housing, and single-family construction projects can be found in the firm’s portfolio, some of which have been recognized for their design and construction breakthroughs. 

Together with ISA Architects, the firm completed the first green building in the Temple University area. The Modules, a four-story structure built using modular construction, houses 72 apartment units. The building has its own parking garage, a roof deck, and a green roof. In 2011, the firm’s work on The Modules was awarded the American Institute of Architects’s (AIA) Architectural Excellence Award in Innovation. The project also earned LEED Gold designation from the USGBC. The Architectural Record, The New York Times, Buildings Magazine, and Jetson Green all featured the design’s innovative and sustainable characteristics. 


Domus Construction

346 E Walnut Ln., Philadelphia, PA 19144

Nearly 70 percent of Domus Construction’s project demands come from repeat clients. Since the firm started its operations in 1976, its commitment to impeccable business ethics has elevated its reputation as one of the best builders in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania. Its active participation in the industry has earned it multiple affiliations with organizations such as AIA, the Building Industry Association (BIA) of Philadelphia, and the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB)

Today, the firm accommodates a wide range of projects from different markets, including hospitality, commercial, academic, and multifamily. Under the leadership of founder and president C. Edward Hillis, many of the company’s works have been recognized throughout the country, especially its multifamily and mixed-use projects.  

The Paseo Verde project was a 206,000-square foot mixed-use building that was completed in 2013. The firm partnered with Wallace Roberts & Todd Architecture to create the country’s very first LEED Platinum Neighborhood Development (ND) certified building. The project consists of one and two-bedroom apartments, nine townhomes, parking spaces, and tenant amenities. The unique characteristics of the structure are its green roofs, which come equipped with a solar array. The energy generated powers the building’s common areas. For its innovative and sustainable design, the entire project also won the USGBC LEED for Homes Project of the Year award in 2016.


Intech

3020 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104

From its humble beginnings in 1986, Intech has evolved to become one of the most influential companies in the industry. Through the years, it has secured architectural, construction, and business-related recognition from the field’s biggest award-giving institutions and publications. The Philadelphia Business Journal, the Engineering News-Record (ENR), Building Design + Construction, the AIA Philadelphia, and the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia all attest to the firm’s exemplary performance in building and design.

Craig Sabatino and Will Schwartz, the firm’s founders, once dreamed of establishing a company that can offer “uniquely distinct, service-oriented, and personal approach” to the construction industry. Today, the firm realizes its goals through its dedicated services for a long list of clients that include academic and cultural institutions, hospitality providers, healthcare facilities, businesses, as well as private developers that cater to the luxury multi-residential industry.

Several examples of luxury multifamily residences that were built and developed by the firm can be found across Philadelphia. The 500 Walnut ultra-luxe residential tower, for instance, is a project made for Scannapieco Development Corporation. Through a collaboration with Cecil Baker + Partners architecture, the company was able to complete the 26-story structure that features 38 exclusive residences. These customizable units range from 2,700 to 4,300 square feet. The project’s features include expansive terraces, walls of windows, and luxury amenities such as a fully automated parking system, state-of-the-art fitness facility, and a 50-foot lap pool, among others.


How can I find a contractor near me?

Read our latest articles on the best contractors in and near Philadelphia. If you don’t see your project type below, just let us know – we are happy to create a tailored recommendation list just for you.

Hotel and Hospitality Contractors in Philadelphia

General Contractors in Philadelphia


About Our Rankings

This list takes a range of ranking criteria into consideration, including but not limited to: work history, customer satisfaction, awards and recognition, geographic area of work, cost, building permits, and clientele. We spent over 40 hours researching local contractors before calculating the final ranking for this post. If there is additional information about your business that could affect these rankings, please fill out this form and we will take it into consideration


Get Bids For Your Build

If you are thinking about building a multifamily project, we recommend checking each builder’s license with the local licensing board, speaking to past clients, and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes from at least 3 contractors. Getting multiple bids is the best way to ensure you get a fair price and that bids include the complete scope of work.

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