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.

Construction permits have been issued for a new one-story community center at 6150 Lancaster Avenue in the Overbrook neighborhood of West Philadelphia. The structure will be located at the southwest corner of the Overbrook Resilience Hub, a broader redevelopment led by JASTECH Enterprises Inc. The new facility is approved for both business and assembly use and will support ongoing community and educational programming at the site. BR Hardscape and Landscape Design is responsible for landscaping. Meliora Design is responsible for the designs.