Groundbreaking and Street Renaming Ceremony Held for Townhomes at Walt’s Way, A New Northeast Housing Community of the Wilmington Housing Partnership
Council Member Darius Brown hosts the event to support the WHP’s mission to solidify the Vandever Avenue neighborhood corridor with four new homes
The Wilmington Housing Partnership (WHP) broke ground today on another neighborhood improvement venture that will strengthen the Vandever Avenue neighborhood corridor in the City’s Northeast area. Last November, the WHP made way for the new four-unit homeownership project by demolishing Walt’s Flavor Crisp Restaurant which had stood for more than 40 years at the corner of Vandever Avenue and North Pine Street.
The new housing complex is entitled “Townhomes at Walt’s Way” which honors Harry Shepard, the former owner of Walt’s restaurant who passed away in 2011 at the age of 84, and commemorates the role that Walt’s Flavor Crisp played in the history of the local community. Today’s ceremony also included a ceremonial street renaming to honor Sheppard and Walt Samuels, the original owner of the restaurant. The 500 block of Vandever Avenue will be renamed Harry Sheppard Way and the 2100 block of North Pine Street will be renamed Walt Samuels Way.
The Townhomes at Walt’s Way, projected to be completed in June of 2017, will feature four, 2,000 square foot homes with 3 or 4 bedrooms depending on design, a full basement and a detached garage. The purchase price is between $140,000 and $160,000 each.
“The Townhomes at Walt’s Way support sustainable revitalization efforts along the Vandever Avenue corridor within the Third Council District,” said City Council Member Darius Brown, who hosted today’s event in his district. “The project creates quality homeownership opportunities that help us build better neighborhoods. Knowing of the diverse housing needs of third district residents, I enlisted the support of the Wilmington Housing Partnership and the Wilmington Department of Real Estate and Housing to develop housing that meets the needs of people at every stage of their lives. The property revitalization and new construction that is underway within the Prices Run area is helping us meet the housing needs of existing and future residents who make our neighborhoods livable and desirable.”
Also attending the ceremony today were Council President Theo Gregory, At-Large City Council Member Justen Wright and 4th District City Council Member Hanifa Shabazz.
Brown noted that in recent years the Vandever Avenue area has benefitted from numerous projects which include 17 new homes built by WHP in the 500 and 600 blocks of Vandever Avenue, 39 new or reconstructed homes from Habitat for Humanity as well as the Wilmington Job Corps Center and the new Wilmington Reentry Service Center.
WHP Executive Director Steve Martin today thanked the WHP funders for the Townhomes at Walt’s Way which include the Capital One, City of Wilmington, Comenity Bank, Delaware Community Foundation, Welfare Foundation and PNC Foundation. Martin said the funders enable his agency to increase the City’s affordable housing stock by promoting renovation and rehabilitation of properties in select areas. Martin said an additional goal for all WHP projects is workforce development by increasing the capacity of minority contractors. Martin noted that the WHP’s staff routinely takes on additional responsibilities to provide on-site and back-office support to achieve a successful project.
A special guest at today’s ceremony was Symanthia Lynch Sheppard, the wife of Harry Sheppard, who is continuing her husband’s legacy through Walt’s catering and delivery service at 2800 Lancaster Avenue featuring her husband’s famous chicken and other delicacies. Harry Sheppard was known for helping his employees become professional entrepreneurs and guiding them into businesses of their own. A percentage of the proceeds generated by Walt’s catering and delivery service are used to support the Harry W. Sheppard entrepreneurial scholarship fund which was established in 2011 after his death.
For more information about this news release, contact:
John Rago
Communications and Policy Development Director
Wilmington City Council
Phone: (302) 576-2149
Mobile: (302) 420-7928
Email: jrago@WilmingtonDE.gov