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.

The latest addition to the Temple University area skyline is The Nest, a 215-foot-tall, 17-story student housing building at 1324 North Broad Street in Cecil B. Moore, North Philadelphia. Designed by the Philadelphia-based Cecil Baker + Partners and developed by developed by Brock Development Group, the development is called The Nest and provides 192 units of student housing, which can accommodate up to 500 students. The first floor features retail space, while the second floor holds amenity space, a fitness center, lounges, and an outdoor terrace.