1543 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.

Renderings have been revealed for a seven-story residential development at 741 Spring Garden Street in Poplar, North Philadelphia. Designed by JKRP Architects and developed by Arts + Crafts Holdings, the complex will consist of a 99,114-square-foot building plus 10,405 square feet of covered ground-level parking and a 1,279-square-foot roof deck. The 146 units will range from studios to two bedrooms.