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.

Permits have been filed for the demolition of a vacant two-story prewar rowhouse at 1535 North 27th Street in Brewerytown, North Philadelphia. The structure is located near the corner of West Oxford Street and North 27th Street. The structure will be demolished as part of the City of Philadelphia Demolition Program, and the cost of the work of the demolition will be $14,900 for the 1,200-square-foot structure. The property is owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority. The contractor is Pedro Palmer Construction Inc.