This year, 2020, marks the fifth anniversary of the Jumpstart Germantown program. What originally started in Ken Weinstein's Philly Office Retail location with two participants as a crash course introduction to residential real estate development has blossomed into a citywide movement with Jumpstart affiliates in Kensington, Tioga, Hunting Park, North Philly West, West and Southwest Philadelphia. In less than five years, Jumpstart Germantown has graduated 685 aspiring residential developers, and provided $15.9 Million in loans to finance the acquisition and renovation of 150 abandoned or neglected properties.
Now we're expanding the Jumpstart concept again, this time to erase urban blight along Philadelphia's commercial corridors. We're calling it Jumpstart 2.0 CRE. It will continue the spirit of collaboration that Jumpstart is already known for, and will use a framework similar to what we've successfully deployed to spark redevelopment of single family houses.
Jumpstart 2.0 will be aimed at helping residential developers make the transition to small scale commercial real estate development in Philadelphia. The program will consist of a 7-week, 21 hour curriculum to be conducted in person at Jumpstart Germantown Co-Working Community (4701 Germantown Avenue). The program will begin March 18. Application deadline is Feb. 9. You can learn more and apply at the Jumpstart Philly website.
