>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.

A recent site visit by Philly YIMBY has revealed significant construction progress at Chelten Terminal, a four-story, 49-unit mixed-use development at 234 West Chelten Avenue in Germantown, Northwest Philadelphia. Designed by Ambit Architecture and developed by the Argo Property Group, the building will span 37,992 square feet and will feature ground-floor commercial space, a roof deck, and full sprinkling, as well as outdoor parking for 18 cars. Permits list Tester Construction Group as the contractor and a construction cost of $6.1 million.