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.

Permits have been issued for a five-story mixed-use structure with ground-floor commercial space and 21 residential units at 2046-50 Lehigh Avenue in East Kensington. The site sits between Frankford Avenue and Amber Street. The structure will be constructed on a footprint of 5,000 square feet and include 21,168 square feet of interior space. Seven bike spaces will be included for residents. Ambit Architecture is the project designer. Grit Construction is the contractor. Construction costs are estimated at $2.75 million.