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.

Philly YIMBY’s recent site visit has revealed that construction of foundations is underway at a nine-unit townhouse complex at 316-20 South 11th Street in Washington Square West, Center City. Although construction permits have been filed in November, our recent site visit has revealed that construction work has not yet begun on the development. According to permits, all nine buildings will be fairly similar, if not altogether identical. Each will span a 1,241-square-foot footprint and offer 4,589 square feet of space, which would make for a regal interior in any part of the city, let alone such a centrally located one. Permits list OCF Construction as the contractor.