2220 Wilder 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.

Philadelphia YIMBY’s recent site visit has observed that construction has still not started at the site of a 13-story, 162-unit building proposed at 1428 Callowhill Street in Spring Garden, Lower North Philadelphia, though construction permits have been issued at the end of 2021. Designed by j2a Architects, the structure will span 117,624 square feet and feature parking for 31 cars and 74 bicycles. Permits list BSI Construction as the contractor and specify construction costs of $19 million.