2442 North Marshall 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 two adjacent two-story rowhouses at 1914 North 8th Street and 1916 North 8th Street near Temple University in North Philadelphia. The buildings are situated on the west side of the block between West Berks and West Norris streets, three short blocks east of the university campus and two short blocks east of the Temple University regional rail station. Permits list the Philadelphia Housing Authority as the owner, John Hayes, Jr. as the design professional and Tester Construction Group as the contractor.