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.

Leasing has begun at Washington Court, a three-story, 16-unit mixed-use development located at 52-60 West Washington Lane in Morton, Northwest Philadelphia. Designed by KCA Design Associates and developed by Stamm Development Group, the 16,000-square-foot development yields over 16,000 square feet and includes ground-floor commercial space and amenities such as seven parking spaces, a roof deck, a green roof, bike parking, and tenant storage. Tester Construction is the contractor.