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 large-scale change of use and renovation of a four-story industrial building at 3701 Sepviva Street in Port Richmond, Kensington. The structure will house 90 residential units as well as ten commercial spaces on the ground floor. Five surface parking spaces will be included in the project, with one set to be van accessible, as well as 30 bicycle spaces. A roof deck will also be added to the top, with multiple new access structures. In total, the building will hold 78,832 square feet of interior space. The conversion will cost an estimated $5 million to undergo.