>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 three-story, 12-unit residential building at 746 North 40th Street in Belmont, West Philadelphia. The structure will replace a vacant mid-block lot situated on the west side of the block between Aspen Street and Brown Street. The structure will span a 2,880-square-foot footprint and will contain 8,640 square feet of floor space, which translates to an average of just over 700 square feet per typical residence. The building will be fully sprinkled. Permits list Francesco Zampetti as the design professional and James Clancy as the contractor. Total cost of construction is specified at $500,000.