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.

This year has seen a steady stream of construction filings around Kensington, mostly in the lowrise, small-scale category. In a sign of accelerating growth of the local real estate market, developer Greenpointe Construction, Inc. is proposing a seven-story, 150-unit residential structure at 2400 East Huntingdon Street, designed by KCA Design Associates. At approximately 85 feet in height, the building will be the tallest in the Olde Richmond neighborhood, and one of the area’s largest apartment buildings at 122,500 total square feet. The complex will also include 11,900 square feet of retail and a garage for 45 vehicles.