A fire forced the Oak Lane Diner on North Board Street just south of Elkins Park to close in 2015, but now it will rise like a Phoenix as it is reborn a part of a new development, writes Aaron Moselle for WHYY.

The former home of the popular diner in West Oak Lane is being turned into a mixed-use development with 65 apartments for seniors as well as a diner on the first floor and office space on the second floor.

Tony Elebah, president of Abeer LP, owner of the site, said he bought the Oak Lane Diner in 2007. After the fire caused extensive damage in 2015, he opted to demolish the diner instead of rebuilding it.

The new Oak Lane Diner will be open seven days a week and serve breakfast and lunch. If there is enough of a demand, the diner will eventually add a dinner menu.

“A lot of people love the place. It’s a shame to lose it,” he said.

The seven-story building will also include an underground parking lot with 19 spaces and an outdoor lot with 20 spaces.

The project on North Broad Street is expected to cost about $20 million. Construction may start as early as the summer.

Forty-six of the apartments will be affordable, while the rest will be at market rate.

Read more about the Oak Lane Diner at WHYY.