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.

Substantial development progress continues in Center City West, with multiple new buildings transforming the neighborhood. Over the course of the past year, 2222 Market Street has risen 295 feet tall and 20 stories above ground. Designed by Gensler and developed by Parkway Commercial Properties, the building is poised as the new headquarters for law firm Morgan, Lewis, Bockius LLP, and will also offer retail space on the ground. In this update, Philadelphia YIMBY looks at the under-construction building, where facade installation is approaching the top of the structure.