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.

A recent site visit by Philly YIMBY has revealed that construction is complete at a four-story, five-unit building at 1507 Christian Street, a multi-family development rising in Graduate Hospital, South Philadelphia. The development stands on the north side of the block between South 15th and South 16th streets. Designed by Gnome Architects and developed by Zatos Investments (which also serves as the contractor), the structure spans 6,168 square feet and features a roof deck. Permits list a construction cost of $375,000.