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.

New permits have been issued for a seven-story, 70-unit mixed-use residential project proposed at 915-23 North Broad Street in West Poplar, Philadelphia. The building will be located on a lot spanning 16,000 square feet, situated mid-block West Girard Avenue, Poplar Street, North Watts Street, facing North Broad Street. Z Realty LLC is the property owner. Permits list Hong Da Construction Inc as the contractor. Sky Design Studio is responsible for the designs. The project has an allocated total construction cost of $9,000,000. Plans call for the demolition of an existing single-story structure on the site.