1825 Diamond 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.

A recent site visit by Philly YIMBY has revealed that construction has still not started at a three-story, four-unit multi-family development at 1326 North 6th Street in Ludlow, North Philadelphia, though a permit had been issued in August 2020. The development will rise from a vacant lot on the west side of the block between West Thompson and Master streets. Designed by Harman Deutsch Ohler Architecture (aka HDO Architecture), the building will span 4,798 square feet and features a cellar and two roof decks. Permits list GRIT Construction as the contractor and a construction cost of $527,780.