>4080 Olive 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 renovation and addition to an existing three-story pre-war rowhome at 1772 North Front Street in Olde Kensington. Designed by Lo Design, the project will add additional floor space to the existing structure while the remainder of the space will be renovated. Four apartments will be included in the project, as well as a commercial space on the ground floor facing Front Street. In total, the building will span 7,505 square feet of space, of which 725 square feet will be located within the addition. Construction costs are listed at $1 million.