1541 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 recent site visit by Philly YIMBY has observed that construction work is well underway at a six-story, 65-unit mixed-use building at 1201-15 Callowhill Street in Callowhill, Lower North Philadelphia. Designed by JKRP Architects, the structure will feature 83,667 square feet of residential area. All units will be designated as co-living spaces, boasting 239 beds in total. The project will also include 3,989 square feet of retail on the ground floor and 8,854 square feet of office and amenity space. A 17,790-square-foot underground garage will hold 41 parking spaces, with two being ADA-compliant and three designated for electric vehicles. A total of 22 bicycle spaces will be included, as well. Permits list a construction cost of $17.2 million.