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 area to the west of the Schuylkill River, particularly University City, has seen much development news recently, including the pending construction of Schuylkill Yards. Another development is on the drawing boards for what is now a large empty plot of land at 3401 Market Street. One uCity Square is a 13-story office building developed by Ventas Inc. and designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership. The building’s height may not be impactful on the skyline, yet its 390,000 square feet of floor space will be a significant addition to the neighborhood.