South 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 204-unit mixed-use development at 1700 North Front Street in Fishtown, Kensington. Designed by NORR, the building will rise five stories tall and will feature 172,844 square feet of interior space, with 123,218 residential square feet, an additional 5,264 square feet of space reserved for amenities, and a ground-floor commercial space spanning 16,429 square feet. The residences will include 28 studios, 141 one-bedroom, and 35 two-bedroom units. The development will also include 70 bicycle spaces.