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Didenko Capital buys warehouses, industrial outdoor storage (IOS) yards, and light-industrial and flex buildings directly from owners in all states. We buy warehouses in all states, including Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia area.
- ✓ Cash offer
- ✓ Sell as-is — no repairs needed
- ✓ No commission to us
- ✓ No listing
Selling in Philadelphia comes with local rules. This page covers the city’s industrial zoning districts, how many industrial properties the City’s own records show, the latest market numbers, and the paperwork a seller should know about.
Philadelphia Industrial Zoning Districts, in Plain Words
Philadelphia has six industrial zoning districts. The table shows what the City’s zoning guide allows in each one, for the uses warehouse and yard owners ask about most.
| District | Warehouse | Equipment and materials storage yard | Truck terminal | General industrial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRMX – Industrial Residential Mixed-Use | Yes | Special exception | No | No |
| ICMX – Industrial Commercial Mixed-Use | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| I-1 – Light Industrial | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| I-2 – Medium Industrial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| I-3 – Heavy Industrial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| I-P – Port Industrial | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
What each district is for, in the City’s words:
- IRMX: a mix of low-impact industrial, artisan industrial, residential, and neighborhood commercial uses.
- ICMX: commercial and low-impact industrial uses.
- I-1: low-impact uses including light industrial, fabrication, offices, and research and development.
- I-2: light/moderate impact industrial uses including manufacturing, processing, and distribution.
- I-3: intensive, high-impact uses, including extractive industries and petroleum processing and storage.
- I-P: marine-related industrial uses such as docks, wharves, piers, and transit sheds.
How to read the table:
- Yes means allowed “by right”: if a project meets every zoning rule, L&I issues the zoning permit with no Zoning Board approval needed.
- Special exception means the Zoning Board of Adjustment has to approve it.
- Overlays can change what a base district allows, so check your exact property.
- Look up your property’s district on Atlas (atlas.phila.gov), the City’s property map.
Source: City of Philadelphia, Zoning Code Base Districts Quick Guide, February 2026 (Table 14-602-3, pages 37, 39 and 41; definitions on pages 4-5). A summary, not legal advice: the Zoning Code itself governs.
Philadelphia Industrial Property by the Numbers
Counted from the City’s property-assessment file, which lists 583,684 properties citywide. Didenko Capital counted these from the City’s public property-assessment file.
| Industrial district | Properties |
|---|---|
| I-2 – Medium Industrial | 3,773 |
| ICMX – Industrial Commercial Mixed-Use | 3,360 |
| IRMX – Industrial Residential Mixed-Use | 994 |
| I-1 – Light Industrial | 729 |
| I-3 – Heavy Industrial | 402 |
| I-P – Port Industrial | 16 |
| All six districts | 9,274 |
- Not everything in an industrial district is industrial. Of those 9,274 properties, 2,203 are classified as industrial and 1,945 as vacant land. Most of the rest are homes, shops, and offices.
- Many industrial buildings sit outside industrial districts. The City classifies 3,843 properties as industrial, and 1,605 of them are in a residential or commercial district.
- Most are old. 2,021 of those 3,843 were built before 1940, by the City’s recorded year.
- Most are small. 2,127 have less than 10,000 sq ft of recorded building area. 255 have 100,000 sq ft or more.
Source: City of Philadelphia Office of Property Assessment property file, snapshot of 2026-09-08, counted 2026-09-29. Zoning and building size are as recorded in that file and can differ from the official zoning map; check one property on Atlas.
Philadelphia Industrial Market: Q3 2026
From Cushman & Wakefield’s MarketBeat Philadelphia Industrial report for Q3 2026, Philadelphia County:
- Vacancy: 13.0% of industrial space was vacant.
- Net absorption, year to date: 1,206,134 sq ft. More industrial space was filled than emptied in the first nine months of 2026.
- Average asking rent (net, per sq ft per year): $15.14 for warehouse and distribution space. The Q3 table shows no manufacturing rent for the county (N/A).
- Construction: 1,400,000 sq ft under construction, and 830,824 sq ft completed so far in 2026.
These are one firm’s figures for one quarter. Newer quarters and other reports may differ.
Selling a Warehouse in Philadelphia: Frequently Asked Questions
Who buys warehouses directly from owners in Philadelphia?
Direct buyers such as Didenko Capital. We buy warehouses in all states, including Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia area.
Do I need a Property Sales Certification to sell in Philadelphia?
Yes, according to the City: Pennsylvania law requires one to sell real estate in Philadelphia, commercial or residential. It shows the property’s zoning classification, the last established use in the zoning record, and any uncorrected code violations. The City’s page lists a $139 fee and online applications through eCLIPSE.
How do I check my property’s zoning, permits, and violations?
Search the address on Atlas (atlas.phila.gov). The City says Atlas shows licenses, permits, violations, zoning history, and property assessments for an address.
What if my industrial building is in a residential or commercial zone?
Many Philadelphia industrial buildings are: 1,605 of the 3,843 properties the City classifies as industrial sit in a residential or commercial district. The City’s zoning guide says many uses and buildings came before zoning or became nonconforming after later zoning changes. Nonconformities are allowed, but the Code controls how they continue, change, and expand (Section 14-305). The Property Sales Certification shows the last established use in the zoning record. Ask your attorney what that means for your building.
Can a Philadelphia lot be used as an outdoor storage (IOS) yard?
It depends on the zoning district. The City’s zoning guide allows equipment and materials storage yards by right in ICMX, I-1, I-2, I-3, and I-P, and only by special exception in IRMX. Truck terminals are allowed in I-1, I-2, I-3, and I-P, but not in ICMX or IRMX. The guide has no row of its own for truck or trailer parking or for container yards. Its non-accessory parking row, which cites use-specific standard 14-603(10), is allowed by right in I-1, I-2, I-3, and I-P and needs a special exception in IRMX and ICMX. L&I’s industrial-use FAQ asks about outdoor storage and regular truck parking or loading when it sorts a business into an industrial use category, and L&I says every new use on land or in a building needs a use registration permit. Ask your attorney before counting on a use.
Do you buy older industrial buildings in Philadelphia?
Condition does not rule a property out. Older buildings are the norm here: 2,021 of the 3,843 properties the City classifies as industrial were built before 1940, by the City’s recorded year.
What about environmental history on an older site?
Environmental history is part of how we price a property, not an automatic no. Pennsylvania’s Land Recycling Program (Act 2), run by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), encourages the voluntary cleanup and reuse of contaminated commercial and industrial sites. DEP says a property used for industrial development does not need to be as clean as a residential site, and that the program’s liability protection extends to future owners. Ask an environmental attorney or consultant about your site.
What sizes of Philadelphia warehouses do you look at?
Send us your warehouse whatever its size. We look at small-bay buildings, single-tenant warehouses, and large distribution buildings. By the City’s file, most industrial properties in Philadelphia have less than 10,000 sq ft of recorded building area.
Get a Cash Offer for Your Philadelphia Warehouse
We buy in all states, as-is, with a cash offer and no commission to us. Tell us about your warehouse and get a cash offer.
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Sources
- City of Philadelphia, Zoning Code Base Districts Quick Guide, February 2026 (read 2026-09-29).
- City of Philadelphia Office of Property Assessment property file, snapshot of 2026-09-08 (counted 2026-09-29).
- Cushman & Wakefield, MarketBeat Philadelphia Industrial Q3 2026 (read 2026-10-21).
- City of Philadelphia, Get a Property Sales Certification (read 2026-09-29).
- City of Philadelphia, Search for property history and business license information (read 2026-09-29).
- City of Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections, FAQ PZ_002, Which Industrial Use Category does my proposed use fall into? (Rev 9.2021) (read 2026-09-29).
- Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Land Recycling Program (read 2026-09-29).