On Saturday, Aug. 1, The Chew & Chelten Community Development Corporation will join with Moses Construction to sponsor a cleanup at 9 a.m. Volunteers will gather at 720 E. Locust Avenue and move onto several other locations, including the business corridor of Chew Avenue.
Douglas Rucker, executive director for the CDC, has lived in East Germantown since 1969. He said the CDC aims to improve the East Germantown community. “I wanted to see the neighborhood come back to itself now,” he said. “I grew up there, and it was a really beautiful community.”
Moses Construction is currently developing a vacant property at 720 E. Locust Avenue. They plan to turn the building into an apartment complex. Moses is donating shovels, brooms, and trash bags for Saturday’s event. The cleanup will be the first event for the Chew and Chelten CDC. Rucker said the developers came on board because they have a good relationship with the community and CDC.
“A lot of times from my experience, there’s a lot of ugliness that goes on with developers coming in,” Rucker said. “We’ve been fortunate to develop a real relationship with these developers.”
Moses Construction real estate assistant Diana Oakfield said lead developer Moshe Attias is excited about the cleanup this weekend and is happy to be involved.
The cleanup is just one collaboration between the CDC and the development company. Each year community members hold a cookout at the property now being developed by Moses.
Before starting the construction process, the CDC and Moses will host one last cookout for the neighborhood. It will take place on August 15.
To learn more about the Chew and Chelten CDC, email Douglas Rucker at ruckerdouglas63@gmail.com or call 267-778-8009
