>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 noted that site preparation work is underway for the construction of a 307-foot-tall, 23-story mixed-use tower at 2301 John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Center City West. Designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz and developed by the PMC Property Group (which also serves as the contractor), the curvy edifice will rise on a slender-wedge shaped lot by the Schuylkill River waterfront and will contain 334,201 square feet of interior space. The project will offer 287 residential units as well as office space and parking for 44 cars and 96 bicycles. Permits list a construction cost of $105 million.