Federal Realty Investment’s Bala Cynwyd on City Avenue project is expecting hundreds of new tenants—residential tenants, that is.
The center that’s anchored by an Acme supermarket, LA Fitness, Olive Garden, and Michaels in Bala Cywyd, Pa., just outside of the Philadelphia city limits has announced the opening of Blayr, a 217-unit residential building — one of what Federal calls the “Resi-Over-Retail” projects taking shape across its portfolio.
“The opening of Blayr marks an important milestone in the transformation of Bala Cynwyd on City Avenue,” said Kari Glinski, Federal’s VP of asset management. “We are focused on creating a walkable, mixed-use environment where residents can live with convenient access to dining, services, and transit, and Blayr brings that vision further to life.”
Blayr offers studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom residences featuring quartz countertops, luxury vinyl-plank flooring, stainless steel appliances, in-home washers and dryers, and private patios or balconies in select units.
Upper-floor residences facing east offer views of the Philadelphia skyline.
Residents will have access to an outdoor pool; a golf and multisport simulator; a fitness center with Echelon Fit AI-driven technology; a private work-from-home suite; a courtyard with grills and fireplace areas; a pet spa, and indoor garage parking with EV charging stations.
The building’s location also provides direct connectivity to nearby recreation and transit. A walking path connects the property to the Cynwyd Heritage Trail and SEPTA’s Cynwyd Line with service to Center City Philadelphia.
Bala Cynwyd on City Avenue will also soon be welcoming new center tenants Chopt, Hammer & Nails Grooming Shop, and Naya, all expected to open in summer 2026.
“New residential communities like The Blayr are an important step in City Avenue’s continued evolution,” said Bryan Fenstermaker, CEO of City Ave District. “As new residents move into the corridor, they bring energy and vitality that help support the growing mix of dining, retail, and lifestyle amenities taking shape at Bala Cynwyd on City Avenue.”
Bala Cynwyd has long held a place on the National Register of Historic Places. It was settled shortly after William Penn’s landing in Pennsylvania in 1682 and contains the village’s oldest commercial buildings–some dating back to the earliest years of the 19th century.
Bala Avenue has long been known for its children’s clothing stores, women’s dress and consignment shops, the Bala Theater, and a number of small restaurants.
The remainder of Bala Cynwyd’s original commercial district extends south along Montgomery Avenue as part of the Bala Cynwyd-Merion Commercial District and is coextensive with the commercial center of Merion, with its popular delicatessens and restaurants.
Interestingly, Bala and Cynwyd were established as distinct towns, but were united as a single community because the local U.S. Post Office serves them both with the same ZIP Code of 19004.
