1539 South Bambrey Street

Urban development is a delicate balancing act, and sometimes we must say goodbye to cherished local destinations in order to make way for a plan that is ultimately more beneficial to the community and to the city at large. One of such trade-offs is slated to occur at 7619 Germantown Avenue in Mount Airy, Northwest Philadelphia, where the Trolley Car Diner is set to meet the wrecking ball, to be replaced by a six-story, mixed-use residential development designed by Morrissey Design. Although the charming chrome, neon, mural, and freestanding trolley of the diner will be missed, the proposal at hand makes for more effective use of the site, bringing significant residential density within a two0-block walk of the Mount Airy Station of the SEPTA Regional Rail and replacing the auto-centric restaurant with pedestrian-friendly retail.

Renderings have been revealed for a 12-story, 136-unit mixed-use development at 4040-50 Walnut Street in University City, West Philadelphia. The building will rise \138 feet tall, with two commercial spaces on the ground floor along Walnut Street, totaling 5,000 square feet of space. The second floor will be devoted to office space, spanning 15,972 square feet. The upper floors will hold residential units. Parking for 23 cars and 48 bicycles will be included within the project.