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.

Several years ago, plans have been revealed for a major megadevelopment to be built on a new deck above the Amtrak railyard on the banks of the Schuylkill River in University City, West Philadelphia. The project is called the Philadelphia 30th Street Station District Plan, as the first phase includes restoration of the historic 30th Street Station. Designed by Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill and developed by Plenary Infrastructure Philadelphia, the master plan shows a large number of high-rises and a supertall skyscraper that would become the tallest, or one of the tallest, buildings in the city.