>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 confirmed that construction work is almost entirely complete at 2045 Lofts, a four-story, 18-unit mixed-use building at 2045 North 2nd Street in Norris Square. The property is situated on the east side of the block between West Norris and Diamond streets, around one short block to the southwest of Norris Square Park. Designed by Vincent Mancini, the structure spans 23,597 square feet and features ground-floor commercial space and elevator service. Permits list Green Tree Group Contracting as the contractor and a construction cost of $3.8 million.