Dale Corporation

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.

A permit has been issued at 717 North 39th Street in the Mantua neighborhood in West Philadelphia. The permit calls for the construction of a three-story, wood-framed residential structure with three residential units spanning a total of 2,944 square feet. Documents list WPRE VI LP as the owner, WP Construction LLC as the contractor, and Jeremy Avellino as the design professional. The construction cost is estimated at $457,500.