>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 the construction of a four-story, four-unit residential building at 1426 North 7th Street in Ludlow, North Philadelphia. The structure will replace a vacant lot on the west side of the block between Master and Jefferson streets. The building’s footprint will span 1,600 square feet and will contain 4,390 square feet of interior space, translating into an average of 1,098 square feet per apartment. Permits list 1426 N 7th LLC as the owner, Lonny Rossman as the design professional, and United Group General Contractor Inc. as the contractor. Construction costs are specified at $437,000.