4233 Chestnut 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.

Construction permits have been issued for a new multi-family building at 861 North 40th Street in the Belmont neighborhood of West Philadelphia. The project is approved as a three-story attached structure with a basement, roof deck, and roof deck access structure, classified as R-2 residential occupancy with six dwelling units, including one designated as a Type B dwelling unit. Yona Construction LLC is listed as the contractor, and JTRan Expediting is responsible for the design.

Combined construction costs are reported at $340,000, including $300,000 in general construction and $40,000 allocated for excavation.