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.

The concrete structure has topped out at The Laurel Rittenhouse at 1911 Walnut Street in Rittenhouse Square, Center City. Developed by the Southern Land Company and designed by Solomon Cornwell Buenz, a team that is also collaborating on a residential tower underway nearby at 1620 Sansom Street, The Lauren Rittenhouse rises just to the northwest of Rittenhouse Square Park. The building already stands 49 stories tall, and will shortly rise to its final planned height of 599 feet. The development will feature 185 rental units and 64 luxury condominiums.