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 discovered that construction is nearly complete at a four-story, two-family residential development at 1325 Buttonwood Street in Callowhill, Lower North Philadelphia. The unusual-looking structure stands on the north side of the block between North 13th Street and North Broad Street. Permits list a floor area of around 3,000 square feet and Kevin O’Neill as the designer and Basch Builders as the contractor. Construction costs are specified at $555,000, of which $315,000 is allocated for general construction, $120,000 for plumbing, and $60,000 apiece for electrical and mechanical work.