>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 Philadelphia YIMBY has revealed that construction work is nearing completion at a three-story single-family rowhouse at 2028 Dorrance Street in West Passyunk, South Philadelphia. Our recent site visit revealed that, since that time, the wood-framed structure has been assembled, rising prominently over its two-story prewar neighbors. The structure rises from a 525-square-foot footprint and spans 1,529 square feet. The building will include a basement and a roof deck, which, given the structure’s prominence, will offer unobstructed views of the Center City skyline. Permits list Elle TY Woods and Godze Yilmaz as the owners, with the latter also listed as the contractor (as Godze Yilmaz Inc.).