Philadelphia’s Navy Yard has taken its biggest step yet toward becoming a residential neighborhood, with two new apartment complexes now leasing on the 1,200-acre former military base in South Philly. But the rollout is slow. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, roughly 70% of available units across both buildings remain unleased.
The complexes, called Constitution and Normandy, are operated by AVE, the national apartment brand run by Korman Communities. Constitution opened late last year as the first private-sector housing on the site, followed by Normandy this spring. Of Constitution’s 347 units, just over a third are leased. Normandy, with 267 units, has cleared 20% occupancy.
Who Is Moving In
Early residents tend to work on-site. The Inquirer profiled one tenant, a 27-year-old assistant buyer at Anthropologie who relocated from Northern Liberties after spending years commuting to Urban Outfitters’ Navy Yard headquarters. She pays around $2,400 a month for a one-bedroom and walks to the office in ten minutes. She told the Inquirer her daily life became far less stressful after the move.
Another resident described the area to the Inquirer as a secluded find, though acknowledged it remains a work in progress when it comes to dining and retail options. AVE’s director of operations, Sam Korman, told the Inquirer the company is pleased with how leasing has gone through the first months of operations.
A Site With a Long Redevelopment History
Philadelphia Magazine reported that the Navy Yard’s transformation from decommissioned military base to mixed-use district has been decades in the making. Developer Bill Hankowsky noted the site came with significant unknowns at the outset, including potential environmental hazards and unexploded ordnance. The base was formally closed in the 1990s…