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.

Permits have been issued for the construction of a 13-story high-rise building at 1428 Callowhill Street in Spring Garden, Lower North Philadelphia. Designed by j2a Architects, the building will contain 162 apartments. In total, the new building will hold 117,624 square feet of space. An underground garage will hold 31 parking spaces for building residents. Parking for 74 bicycles will also be available. Construction cost is listed at $19 million.