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.

Philly YIMBY’s recent site visit has confirmed that construction is complete at The Lola, a four-story, 30-unit mixed-use development at 5959 Ridge Avenue in Roxborough, Northwest Philadelphia. The project stands at the eastern corner of Ridge and Monastery avenues. Designed by Bright Common and developed by TierView Property Management, the new building spans 31,785 square feet and includes ground-floor commercial space, bicycle parking, and a roof deck. Permits list Knight Rider Construction as the contractor and specify a construction cost of $3.2 million.