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.

Permits have been issued for the construction of a four-story, six-unit residential building at 1108-12 Sigel Street in Wharton, South Philadelphia. The development will replace a single-story, warehouse-style commercial structure on the south end of the block located between South 11th and South Sartain streets. Project amenities include parking for four cars and 11 bicycles, as well as a roof deck that promises to offer dramatic skyline views thanks to the building’s prominent height relative to the surrounding neighborhood. Permits list Diantonio & Bongiovanni B. as the owners, Timothy Kerner as the design professional, and Diantonio & Bongiovanni LLC as the contractor, suggesting that the structure will be constructed by the owner. Construction costs are specified at $600,000.