>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.

Developer and parking lot operator Parkway Corporation is currently looking for opportunities to redevelop a 14,495-square-foot parking lot at 19-27 South 8th Street in Market East, Center City. There appear to be no active proposal currently planned for the site, as no permits have been filed and the property is listed in the developer’s “opportunities” section. As with many of Parkway’s other parking lots, it appears that the operator/developer is looking for an anchor tenant and/or a development partner. Under the current zoning, the site may accommodate a high-rise proposal standing 30 stories or taller