The Wilmington Housing Partnership began work on a residential project at the site home of the well-known Walt’s Flavor Crisp Restaurant.
The Walt’s building on Vandever Avenue in northeast Wilmington is being razed to make way for the project. The restaurant operated for four decades at the site.
In its place will be four new home ownership properties by November of 2016.
Third District Wilmington City Council Member Darius Brown, who hosted an event marking the start of work, said the development is another sign of progress in the neighborhood.
Brown noted that in recent years the Vandever Avenue area has seen numerous projects including 15 homes built by WHP, 39 new or reconstructed homes from Habitat for Humanity as well as the Wilmington Job Corps Center, as well as the new Wilmington Reentry Service Center.
WHP Executive Director Steve Martin said his agency’s latest effort to create more homeownership in Wilmington involves the construction of four, 1800-square foot townhomes featuring three bedrooms, 2.5 baths and off-street parking.
The new homes are expected to be completed in November of 2016 and will sell within a range of $140,000 to $160,000
Martin said previous Vandever Avenue WHP projects have created more than 30 job opportunities and Martin said he expects additional jobs to be created with the latest project
Joining the elected officials and community representatives at today’s demolition ceremony was special guest Symanthia Lynch Sheppard, the wife of the former owner of Walt’s restaurant, Harry Sheppard, who passed away in 2011 at the age of 84.
Sheppard operates Walt’s catering and delivery service at 2800 Lancaster Avenue featuring her husband’s famous chicken among other delicacies.
Mrs. Sheppard said her husband helped many people start their own restaurants and provided many employment opportunities for area residents.
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.
Following the ceremony, those who attended enjoyed a lunch featuring his chicken and other side dishes supplied by the catering company.
