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.

An 81-unit multi-family development has been revealed at 4701-15 Kingsessing Avenue in Squirrel Hill, West Philadelphia. The site sits at the northwestern cornet of the intersection of 48th Street and Chester Avenue. Designed by JKRP Architects, the development will rise four stories and contain 55,720 square feet of floor space. 45 new parking spots will also be included in the development, with two set to be ADA accessible, three reserved for electric vehicles and one for a car share. Additionally, the 40 spots currently existing at the property will remain, so a total of 85 parking spaces will be located at the site upon completion.