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.

Renderings have been revealed for a 128-unit mixed-use building at 4240 Chestnut Street in Spruce Hill, West Philadelphia. Designed by DAS Architects, the building will rise seven stories tall. In total, the structure will hold 148,007 square feet of space. Office space, which will occupy 35,896 square feet, will be home to Intercultural Family Services, a non-profit community organization. The remainder of the building will consist of apartments ranging from studios to one- and two-bedrooms, spanning from 420 to 930 square feet. The building will include a green roof and a roof deck, as well as an underground garage that will hold 40 parking spaces. A fitness room and a study lounge will also be offered for building residents.