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 recent site visit has revealed that construction is underway at The Wagon House, a four-story mixed-use building at 1935 North 2nd Street in Olde Kensington. The structure will replace a garage and an adjacent lot on the east side of the block between West Berks Street and West Norris Street. Designed by Ambit Architecture, the structure will rise from a combined lot at 1935-39 North 2nd Street and span 10,640 square feet, which will include 1,000 square feet of ground-level commercial space and 13 residential units. The building will feature a basement, full sprinkling, and parking for four bicycles. Permits list Baltimore Select Properties as the contractor and a construction cost of $1.8 million.