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 filed for the demolition of a vacant two-story rowhouse at 3918 North Percy Street in Hunting Park, North Philadelphia. The former single-family dwelling is located on a block between West Pike Street and West Luzerne Street. The dilapidated prewar building will be torn down as part of the City of Philadelphia Demolition Program. The gross floor area of the building is 1,200 square feet and the cost of the future work will be $10,000. The property is owned by Clifton Spady and Pasty Spady. The contractor listed is Pedro Palmer Construction Inc.