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 a the construction of a 42-unit mixed-use residential and commercial development at 1429-31 Federal Street in Point Breeze, South Philadelphia. Upon completion, the building will rise four stories tall and will feature retail space at the ground floor. A green roof at the top of the building and will be accessible via pilot houses. The project will also include 14 bike spaces. The permit lists Top Gun Enterprises as the contractor for the development, and Vincent Mancini as the design professional. In total, the building will hold 34,668 square feet of space, and will cost an estimated $3.8 million to build.