897 North 40th 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.

Permits have been filed for the demolition of a vacant two-story single-family dwelling at 6132 Walnut Street in Cobbs Creek, West Philadelphia. The prewar rowhouse is situated on a block that located between South 61st Street and South 62nd Street. The building will be torn down as part of the City of Philadelphia Demolition Program. The cost of work is $17,261. The property is owned by the City of Philadelphia. The contractor listed for the work is Thomas Curran.