19121
Roof replacement in Brewerytown and Strawberry Mansion
Covers North Central, Brewerytown, Strawberry Mansion and Sharswood, in the city's Lower North planning district. Most owner-occupied homes here, 83%, are rowhomes or twins: houses that share at least one wall, so a new roof has to meet the neighbors' on one side or both.
This number connects homeowners who are planning a new roof or a full roof replacement with independent local roofing contractors. It is not for leak repairs or patch jobs. The call must come from the homeowner who decides on the roof. Calls may be recorded.
55
EZ roof covering replacement permits in 19121 in 2025
83%
of owner-occupied homes are rowhomes or twins (1-unit attached)
1961
median year homes here were built
32%
of occupied homes lived in by their owners
Permits: City of Philadelphia L&I open data. Homes: Census ACS 2020–2024.
Roofs Philadelphia connects homeowners with independent local roofing contractors. We do not perform roofing work.
Roof permits in 19121
In 2025 the City issued 55 EZ permits for roof covering replacement in 19121, 18th of 46 ZIP codes. That is 9.5 per 1,000 owner-occupied homes, well above the city's 6.6 (rented houses get permits too, so read it as a yardstick). The count has grown from 26 in 2021. Through October 23, 2026, 23 more were issued in 2026, after 44 in 2024. Residential: 51; commercial: 4.
The homes in 19121
The Census Bureau counts 20,858 homes in 19121, 32% of the occupied ones owner-occupied (city: 52%). 39% were built in 1980 or later, a large share for Philadelphia, and the median year built is 1961. Median owner-reported value: $266,700 (city $243,100).
What the roof job looks like here
The City's own Rowhouse Manual puts it plainly: "Most rowhouse roofs appear 'flat', although they are actually gently sloped toward a drain." Replacing one means a low-slope membrane, run up the parapet and sealed where it meets the roofs next door.
The Rowhouse Manual notes that some rowhouses "have almost flat roofs and no attics," and that "when a new roof is installed, it's possible to add rigid insulation between the decking and beneath the roofing material."
Read more: rowhouse flat roofs, flat roof systems , tear-off or roof-over.
Historic designation
One local historic district reaches into 19121: Diamond Street. In all, 304 properties in this ZIP code are on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places.
For a designated property the City's EZ re-roofing standard does not apply "without prior approval" of the Historical Commission, so the commission's sign-off comes before the permit, and a change of material, such as slate to asphalt, is part of what it looks at.
Which streets, which months
From 2021 through 2025, roof permits in 19121 went to addresses on 69 different streets. The most were on Oxford St (11), N 28th St (9) and N 29th St (9). Of the 216 permits issued in 19121 from 2021 through 2025, the most came in January and March (25 each), the fewest in June (10). December through February still accounted for 25% of them: roofs here are replaced in winter too.
- Oxford St · 11
- N 28th St · 9
- N 29th St · 9
- Master St · 8
- N 25th St · 8
- Norris St · 7
- N 18th St · 6
- Susquehanna Ave · 6
Questions about a new roof in Brewerytown and Strawberry Mansion
Does a roof replacement in Brewerytown and Strawberry Mansion need a City permit?
Yes. A roof covering replacement in Philadelphia goes through an EZ permit from L&I. In 2025 the City issued 55 of them in 19121 (North Central and Brewerytown), 18th of 46 ZIP codes.
When were the homes in Brewerytown and Strawberry Mansion built?
39% of homes in 19121 were built in 1980 or later, and the median year built is 1961. 32% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners (Census ACS 2020–2024).
What kind of roof do rowhomes in Brewerytown and Strawberry Mansion have?
83% of owner-occupied homes here are rowhomes or twins. Most rowhouse roofs look flat but slope gently toward a drain, so a replacement means a low-slope membrane turned up the parapet and sealed to the roofs next door.
Does the Historical Commission review roofs in Brewerytown and Strawberry Mansion?
One local historic district reaches into 19121: Diamond Street. For a designated property the Historical Commission approves the work, including a change of material such as slate to asphalt, before the permit.
Next to 19121
Sources: L&I permits (OpenDataPhilly) and City map layers, queried October 24, 2026; Census ACS 2020–2024; L&I EZ re-roofing standard; Rowhouse Manual. All sources. Checked October 24, 2026.