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.

Permits have been issued for the construction of two side-by-side multi-family structures located at 2413 and 2415 North 7th Street in North Philadelphia East. Upon completion, each building will rise three stories tall, with a roof deck accessed via a pilot house. Five residential units will be located in each building, for a combined total of ten. Each building will hold 4,464 square feet of space, and cost $250,000 to build.