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.

A recent site visit by Philly YIMBY has revealed that construction is still pending at a six-story, 143-unit mixed-use development at 113-29 Berkley Street in Germantown, Northwest Philadelphia. Designed by HDO Architecture, the new building will include commercial space on the ground floor, a roof deck, and a green roof A total of 98 parking spaces will be included, four four of which will be ADA compliant and six reserved for electric vehicles. The project will also feature 50 bicycle spaces (with an additional ten on the sidewalk) and six new street trees.