Developments planned for Germantown Avenue
ANUJ GUPTA liked the restaurants, shops and other attractions on Germantown Avenue in Mount Airy so much that he and his wife insisted on buying a house within walking distance.
ANUJ GUPTA liked the restaurants, shops and other attractions on Germantown Avenue in Mount Airy so much that he and his wife insisted on buying a house within walking distance.
And that was before Gupta, executive director of Mt. Airy USA, got involved with the community development corporation.
"I just love this area," Gupta said Thursday.
Gupta joined Mayor Nutter, Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger and others to announce that four new mixed-used redevelopment projects are planned on Germantown Avenue between Horter Street and Pelham Road.
The organization will invest between $1.3 and $1.6 million on the projects, which they said will include affordable apartments above ground-floor commercial or office space.
The announcement was held outside a buff-colored historic, yet crumbling building at 6614 Germantown Ave., which has been known for years as "the shack." After its renovation, "we're going to call it 'the cottage,' " one man said.
Mt. Airy USA said the building will be refurbished with grant money from the Office of Housing and Community Development.
Meanwhile, the historic and vacant former post office at 6700 Germantown Ave. will be retrofitted to house at least three commercial spaces. Horizon Home Healthcare Services will take one of the spots, according to owner Connie Henry, and a yoga studio has committed to rent space. The rest of the building will provide affordable office space for small businesses.
Two other buildings to be renovated are at 6651-53 and 6513 Germantown Ave.
Nutter praised Mt. Airy USA for its decade of work to improve the Germantown Avenue corridor.
Officials said the concentration of the projects will have a major impact on that segment of the Germantown Avenue by transforming vacant buildings into occupied and productive spaces.
"It's going to be a stronger and smarter city with a stronger and smarter economy," Nutter said. "What's happening on Germantown Avenue is a big part of the story."
- Daily News staff writer Morgan Zalot contributed to this report.