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.

YIMBY’s recent site visit has revealed that excavation is underway at the future site of The Royale, a four-story, 77-unit development at 6910 Ridge Avenue in Roxborough, Northwest Philadelphia. Designed by M Architects and developed by Stamm Development Group, the building will span 70,996 square feet and will feature underground parking and a green roof. Permits list Tester Construction Group as the contractor and a construction cost of $14 million.