Ridge Avenue is moving in the right direction, albeit slowly. Project HOME redeveloped a gigantic vacant lot near Broad Street into a mixed-use building, JBJ Soul Homes. On the 1300 block, a long-blighted building has finally been rehabbed. And a mixed-use project is planned (though not yet under construction) on the north side of the 1700 block. And while on Ridge the other day, we came upon another lot that's now getting developed.
1724 Ridge Ave., at the corner of Vineyard Street, has been vacant for years, though relatively well tended. For the last couple of years though, it's been surrounded by a chain-link fence. Finally, in the last month or two, a foundation has appeared. According to the L&I Map, the large lot will soon contain a new four story mixed-use building with three apartments on the upper floors and a commercial space downstairs. And that commercial space will apparently be home to a restaurant, if we're to believe the permits. Has anyone in the area heard anything about such a thing?
As this building rises, the former gas station/takeout place/newstand continues to sit, looking like garbage. Make no mistake, we're bullish about Ridge Avenue blazing forward as a commercial corridor. And when the property pictured above is finally redeveloped, we'll know Ridge has truly arrived at last.