Landmark Properties has completed The Mark Philadelphia, a high-rise student housing community in the University City neighborhood. The new property delivers 909 beds across a 34-story tower, making it the tallest dedicated student housing asset in the University City submarket. The project represents Landmark’s second ground-up development in Philadelphia, following The Standard at Philadelphia, which opened in 2023.
Located at 3615-35 Chestnut St., The Mark Philadelphia is positioned a block from the University of Pennsylvania campus and in close proximity to Drexel University. The location is intended to serve students who choose to live off campus while remaining within walking distance of classrooms and campus amenities. Its height also gives residents elevated views over the surrounding University City area and the broader city skyline.
The Mark Philadelphia was designed by architecture and design firm BKV Group. Landmark Construction, the in-house construction arm of Landmark Properties, acted as general contractor, allowing the company to integrate development and construction functions on the project. The collaboration between Landmark Properties, Landmark Construction, and BKV Group shaped the building’s scale and program as a purpose-built student housing tower.
Landmark Properties notes that most University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University students live off campus, supporting demand for newer, professionally developed student housing options. According to Jason Doornbos, chief development officer at Landmark Properties, students are seeking modern housing with a wide range of floor plans, updated finishes, and robust amenity offerings. He stated that The Mark Philadelphia is intended to raise the bar for student living in University City by combining these interior features with the building’s height and views.
Doornbos added that the property’s prominence in the University City skyline and its design standards are meant to set a new benchmark for the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel student housing market. With the delivery of The Mark Philadelphia, Landmark Properties continues to expand its presence in the city’s purpose-built student housing sector, adding a second recently delivered project to its local portfolio. The opening underscores ongoing investment activity in off-campus housing serving the adjacent university campuses.
