(Washington, DC) - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty today announced a commitment by local organic grocery chain, Yes Organic Markets, to open the first organic grocery east of the Anacostia River in Ward 8.
Yes Organic Markets signed a 10-year lease with DC-based developer, Chapman Development for the 7,500 square foot store at The Grays on Pennsylvania. The grocer’s seventh location in the District, Yes Organic will occupy 100 percent of the project’s retail space at 2323 Pennsylvania Avenue, southeast.
Yes Organic is taking advantage of the District’s Supermarket Tax Credit and is supported by a $900,000 Great Streets grant from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.
The $1.4 million store, expected to open in August of this year, will include a sushi bar and deli.
The grocer has committed to making whole goods in this neighborhood store even more affordable to the diverse demographics of families in the surrounding neighborhoods by also accepting supplemental nutrition assistance benefits (SNAP) and vouchers from the Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program.
Yes Organic at The Grays expects will hire 27 employees over the next 4 months including 4 managerial positions.
Yes Organic and Chapman Development have also entered an agreement to open five more stores in other neighborhoods of the District. This partnership stems in large part from a very successful working relationship with staff in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.
Funding for The Grays on Pennsylvania includes $7.5 million in Housing Production Trust Fund dollars and $1.9 million in 9 percent Low Income Housing Tax Credits from the District’s Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). The tax credits will generate roughly $17 million in equity for the developer. DHCD’s total funding impact on this project is approximately $24.5 million and accounts for 68 percent of The Grays total development cost. The Grays 118 units are rental apartments targeted to individuals and households earning 60 percent of AMI or less. Of the 118 rental units expected to open in June, 45 are leased