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.

Permits have been issued for the construction of a three-story, four-unit residential building at 3519 Hamilton Street in Powelton Village, West Philadelphia. The structure will replace a vacant lot situated on the north side of the block between North 35th and North 36th streets. Permits list Darron T. Mason and Marsha Irons Mason as the owners, Lauren Thomsen as the design professional, and GRIT Construction LLC as the contractor. The total construction cost of $500,000 allocates $350,000 to general construction and $50,000 apiece for electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work.