Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki announced the completion of the Townhomes of Walt’s Way, a four-unit housing complex on Vandever Avenue, built on the site of the former eastside restaurant, Walt’s Flavor Crisp.
Purzucki also announced that all four units have been sold to individual families who have moved into their new homes.
This affordable housing project was begun in 2016 by the Wilmington Housing Partnership (WHP), which was unable to complete it due to financial problems. At the mayor’s direction, the city’s Real Estate and Housing Director Bob Weir stepped in to manage the project’s completion.
“These families are starting a new portion of their lives in the Townhomes of Walt’s Way,” said Purzycki. “Affordable housing is very much needed in Wilmington, and when the WHP couldn’t complete Walt’s Way we knew we had to finish the job. Soon, we’ll celebrate additional affordable housing opportunities on Bennett Street where Habitat for Humanity has stepped up in a big way to complete another former WHP project on the eastside.”
Weir said the 1,500 square foot homes sold for $155,000 each and feature three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, an open first-floor design, a third-floor master suite, all stainless-steel kitchen appliances, microwave, garbage disposal, and dishwasher, plus a finished laundry room on the second floor.
Purzycki said the new housing complex honors the memory of Harry Sheppard, the former owner of Walt’s restaurant who passed away in 2011 at the age of 84. The mayor said it also commemorates the role that the restaurant played in the history of the local community.
In 2016, the cty ceremonially renamed the 500 block of Vandever Avenue as Walt Samuels Way to honor both Mr. Sheppard and Walt Samuels, the original owner of the restaurant.
