An abandoned mall becomes 217 apartments — and a signal of how suburban corridors are being rewired
HB
Hayden Beckett
housing inventory shortage · Apr 17, 2026
Source: DojiDoji Data Terminal
An abandoned mall becomes 217 apartments — and a signal of how suburban corridors are being rewired
The Blayr apartment building opened on City Avenue in Bala Cynwyd last month, replacing a vacant Lord & Taylor site at the Bala Cynwyd Shopping Center. The development added 217 apartments and 19,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. Hundreds of additional apartments are now under construction along City Avenue. A change to Lower Merion’s land-use law has enabled mixed-use development along the corridor. Developers are responding to demand from young professionals, couples, and empty nesters seeking access to both Philadelphia and the Main Line. Residential density is increasing in a formerly retail-dominated suburban corridor. The transformation reflects a broader shift in how suburban commercial strips are being redeveloped to include housing, retail, and walkable design.
housing inventory shortage
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