800-30 Vine 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.

Philadelphia YIMBY’s recent site visit has observed that construction has topped out at a five-story, 40-unit mixed-use building at 4415 Chestnut Street in Spruce Hill, West Philadelphia. Designed by Wulff Architects and developed by Orens Brothers Real Estate, the building will include retail space as well as features such as elevator service, a green roof, full sprinkling, and 14 bicycle spaces. Permits list Orens Development Inc. as the owner and Orens Brothers Inc. as the general contractor. Construction is expected to cost $5.5 million. The structure will be a part of a two-building complex that extends through the block to Ludlow Street to the north, which will total 70 units.