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.

A four-story, 86-unit residential building has been proposed at 448-56 Rhawn Street (aka 448-456 Rhawn Street) in Fox Chase, Northeast Philadelphia. Designed by KCA Design Associates, the development will rise on the southwest corner of Rhawn Street and Rockwell Avenue, across from the Fox Chase Station of the SEPTA Regional Rail. The structure will hold 77,776 square feet of interior space, of which 2,500 square feet will be allocated to ground-level retail space. The development will include a ground-level garage with space for 48 cars and 30 bicycles.