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.

Renderings have been revealed for a massive new multi-family development called The Mark, located at 3615 Chestnut Street in University City, West Philadelphia. Upon completion, the building will officially stand 34 stories tall, though a mechanical penthouse at the top will stretch the height higher, to just over 400 feet tall, a very sizable addition to this location. Designed by BKV Group and developed by Landmark Properties, the tower will hold 363 residential units, with 236 standard units and 127 group living units. Accessed from Ludlow Street, the development will hold space for 70 cars and 96 bicycles.