>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 additional single-family homes at Siena Place, a large development underway in Packer Park, South Philadelphia. Though the latest round of permits adds only four more residences, it further enhances a development that has already brought dozens of single-family homes to an untouched land parcel at the far western reaches of the neighborhood. Each of the new buildings will stand three stories tall and will feature access to a private roof deck. A garage will be included with each unit. Construction costs are estimated at $300,000 per home.