Lehigh Avenue

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.

Construction is now underway at The Beverly, a six-story, 50-unit mixed-use development at 1102 Germantown Avenue in Northern Liberties, North Philadelphia. Developed by Stamm Development Group, the building will feature commercial space on the ground floor and residential units above. The project will include a green roof, storage for tenants, and spaces for nine cars and 17 bicycles. In total, the development will hold 54,076 square feet of space and will cost an estimated $10 million to build. The project is being built by Tester Construction.