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.

Permits have been issued for the construction of a new six-story mixed-use building at 300 West Huntingdon Street in North Philadelphia East. The project site is identified in zoning and permit documents as part of the Colorworks Building development, with work spanning the parcel at 2552-2566 North 3rd Street. The property is owned by Colorworks Building LLC, with Gnome Architects LLC listed as the architect and Backcourt Builders LLC serving as the contractor.