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, three-unit apartment building at 2405 North 6th Street in North Philadelphia East. The development will rise from a vacant lot on the east side of the block between West York and West Cumberland streets, just to the north of the former. Designed by JT Ran Expediting, the structure will contain 3,027 square feet and feature a basement and a roof deck. Permits list JPL Construction as the contractor and indicate a construction cost of $300,000.