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 issued for the construction of a 110-unit mixed-use building at 1801-59 North American Street in Olde Kensington. Designed by HDO Architecture, the building will rise five stories tall, yield 110,772 square feet of space, and will include two commercial spaces at the ground floor in a retail podium. Residential units will be situated above. A common roof deck located atop the second floor, and balconies will offer building residents pleasant outdoor space. The project will include 60 parking spaces, as well as 39 bicycle spaces. The building will also feature a green roof. Tester Construction is listed as the general contractor. Construction costs are estimated at $15.95 million.