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.

Permits have been issued for a multi-family conversion of 943-49 Washington Avenue in Bella Vista, South Philadelphia. An extension will be added to the structure, which will stand a total of five stories tall upon completion and contain 24 residential units. Permit lists TBC LLC as the contractor, with Lonny Rossman as the design professional. The building will hold 29,535 square feet of space and cost an estimated $4.2 million to build.