2220 Wilder 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.

In West Philadelphia, a major project is bound to change University City in a dramatic way. Developed by developed by Brandywine Realty Trust, Schuylkill Yards includes one building that has already been completed, with the rest in the beginning stages of construction or site preparation. The project, located next to 30th Street Station, has a master plan with multiple buildings, though only four have had their final designs released to the public. The completed Bulletin Building renovation, the 512-foot-tall and 3001 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, and the the 361-foot-tall 3025 John F. Kennedy Boulevard were designed by the Practice for Architecture and Urbanism, while the 226-foot-tall 3151 Market Street was designed by SHoP Architects. The below massing renderings were designed by Philly YIMBY to illustrate the impact of the buildings on the future skyline.