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.

Philadelphia YIMBY’s recent site visit has revealed that renovation work is underway at 161 and 176 Conarroe Street in Manayunk, Northwest Philadelphia. The building at 161 Conarroe Street will feature an addition of an interior elevator and garage area. The rest of the building will be converted to 20 apartments. The building will span 33,520 square feet, with work costs listed at $2 million. At 176 Conarroe Street, a three-story building is being converted into 15 apartments. The building will spam 23,300 square feet and renovation costs are specified at $1.5 million.