>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 new mixed use development at 175 West Oxford Street in the neighborhood of Olde Kensington. Upon completion, the new building will stand six floors tall, with multiple commercial spaces set to occupy a large portion of the building. Additionally, 128 residential units will be included in the development, and it will also feature a green roof. An accessory parking garage will serve residents and attract more interest to the development. In total, the structure will hold 109,561 square feet of space and cost an estimated $11 million to build.