>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.

Construction work continues to progress on the massive Piazza Terminal development at 1075 Germantown Avenue in Northern Liberties, North Philadelphia. Designed by Northern Liberties, BKV Group, the 1,144-unit project is the largest development currently underway in the neighborhood and will contribute a significant amount of public space. The project was developed by the Post Brothers, which has a number of projects around the city, such as The Poplar, located within a 15-minute walk from Piazza Terminal.