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 issued for a new multifamily residential building at 716 North 40th Street in Belmont, West Philadelphia. The proposal calls for the construction of a three-story structure with a cellar and roof deck accessed by a pilot house. The building will contain twelve residential units and will occupy a parcel located near the intersection of North 40th Street and Wiota Street, near Aspen Street. Fitler Development is listed as the contractor for the project. Haverford Square Designs is the architect. Property ownership is attributed to 41 Development LLC.