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 noted that construction work has been completed on a large mixed-use development at 2051-77 Ridge Avenue in Cecil B. Moore, North Philadelphia. The project will consist of a pair of four- and three-story buildings with commercial space on the ground floor and residential units above. Public space along Ridge Avenue and parking lot at the block interior will also be included. Permits list the Philadelphia Housing Authority as the owner and Ernest Bock & Sons, Inc. as the contractor.