6044 Chestnut Avenue

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.

It’s no secret that Schuylkill Yards is bound to change the University City skyline, but what is kept secret is the development at Schuylkill Yards until they’re revealed. The mega development was unveiled at the beginning of summer 2016 with out-of-this-world proposals, but it turns out they were all placeholders, since 3001 and 3025 John F. Kennedy Boulevard were officially unveiled last year. Fast forward to 2020, and 3151 Market Street has also been formally revealed, and it will stand 185 feet tall.