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 the construction of a three-story two-family rowhouse at 438 West Susquehanna Avenue in North Philadelphia East. The structure will rise from a vacant lot situated on the south side of the block between North Orkney Street and North 5th Street. Designed by the Parallel Architecture Studio, the structure will span 2,820 square feet and will feature a cellar and a roof deck. Permits list the G&J Group as the contractor.