Lehigh Avenue

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.

The dual-branded W/Element Hotel, located at 1439 Chestnut Street in Center City, has opened its final section to the public with the completion of its retail portion. Designed by Cope-Linder Architects and developed by the Chestlen Development Group, the tower rises 617 feet and 52 stories above ground, and stands at the former site of One Meridian Plaza, a block to the south of City Hall. Tutor Perini is the general contractor and The Lighting Practice is the lighting designer and contractor for the tower’s elaborate nighttime illumination. The skyscraper has an enormous impact on the skyline, more so than just about any other building completed in the past couple of years.