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 three-story, four-unit condominium has been completed at 2509 Grays Ferry Avenue in Graduate Hospital, South Philadelphia. Designed by Gnome Architects, the structure stands at an angled lot at the junction of Grays Ferry Avenue and South 25th Street, facing the intersection with Christian Street. The development spans 5,624 square feet, lending an average of around 1,400 square feet per residential unit. Permits list Point Builders Design Concepts as the contractor and a construction cost of $285,000.