Dale Corporation

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.

Earlier this month, YIMBY shared an extensive publication covering 1600 North Broad Street (alternately 1406 Cecil B. Moore Avenue), a 15-story, 245-unit residential development slated to rise across from the Temple University campus in North Philadelphia. Today we follow up with a closer look at the proposed floor plans and residential unit and amenity breakdown. Designed by JKRP Architects and developed by Bart Blatstein‘s Tower Investments, the building will rise 189 feet tall and span 238,090 square feet, which will be dedicated exclusively to residential space, services, and amenities, which include an outdoor swimming pool. The development will provide parking for a total of 64 cars (with 46 new spaces in addition to 16 existing ones) and 82 bicycles. Despite its adjacency to the Temple campus, the development will cater to the general populace rather than exclusively to university students. In total, the development will offer 25 studios, 181 one-bedroom apartments, and 39 two-bedroom residences.