From southern Pennsylvania, in the 90s-00s, I've heard it used for both men and women. If you forced me to subtitute another phrase, I'd probably say "well-built." (Edit: maybe "better-built than the average")

For men, (to me) it means that they're big, strong, and muscular.

For women, (to me) it means that they're whatever kind of woman the speaker prefers.

So, as a kid, Arnold, Sly, and Hulk Hogan were all built like brick shithouses. But so was Cindy Crawford.