>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.

YIMBY’s recent site visit revealed that construction work has not yet started on the tower planned at 1101 Walnut Street in Washington Square West, Center City. Designed by JKRP Architects and LD Investment Partners LLC and Ernest Bock and Sons Inc., the building will stand 259 feet and 23 stories tall and will be clad in an exterior of alternating light and dark sections. The building will feature 111 units, along with retail space on the ground floor.