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 five-story mixed-use structure at 101 West Oxford Street in Fishtown, Kensington, near the border of Olde Kensington, North Philadelphia. The structure will hold 35 residential units, each being an apartment. Resident storage will be located in the basement of the structure, with the ground floor used for a commercial space and parking. A roof deck will be located atop the building, as well as a green roof that allows the building a density bonus. The building will occupy a 12,363 square foot land parcel and hold 51,785 square feet of space. Chatham Bay Construction Services is the listed contractor. Construction costs are estimated at $6 million.