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.

A building expansion has been proposed at 6906 Ridge Avenue in Roxborough, Northwest Philadelphia, where a two-story, two-unit residential building will be converted into a three-story, five-unit development. The project is situated on the southwest side of the block between Parker Avenue and Paoli Avenue. Designed by Studio C Architecture, the development will span a total of 2,920 square feet. Permits list Andy Mulson as the contractor and indicate a construction cost of $600,000.