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 new mixed-use building at 2248-50 North Front Street in the Kensington neighborhood in Philadelphia. The project will introduce a three-story attached structure with a cellar, roof deck, and pilot house. The development will contain five residential units along with two commercial spaces planned for artist studios on the lower levels. Property records list Philly Restoration LLC as the owner. SL Construction LLC is listed as the contractor, while FUSA Designs LLC is the project architect.