A woman is on an incredible mission to transform a historic building in Germantown into a creative space for the entire neighborhood. Like so many projects during the pandemic, there have been setbacks and challenges. JanCarabeoCBS3 has the story.
Peek inside this more than a century-old Victorian along Germantown Avenue these days and you’ll spot a pile of lumber and power tools.Whatley is the creative mind and founder behind what will become the Germantown Arthaus – a café and safe, creative space meant to inspire.But the process of getting there has proven to be a challenge.The interior was gutted down to the studs and ready to be renovated.
A café on the first floor, artist studios on the second, and a studio apartment up top are all on track for a fall opening.“The same song and dance that you’ve probably heard over the last 12 months is the supply shortage,” Whatley said. “Whether it’s COVID or increasing cost, or just can’t get the product here fast enough has that’s definitely slowed our timeline.”“There’s some spaces that the prices have doubled and tripled,” Whatley said.
Finding the resources to cover the ballooning cost oftentimes is seemingly a tall task for the small business.“Make this top-notch for them, serve them in such a wonderful way, and also be able to cover the budget. That’s what keeps me up,” Whatley said.“I think of my grandmother Maxine Whatley,” she said. “I think about this project being a culmination of her dreams, and that I’m living her mission.
“Always thinking about how to better serve the community and create things that would help especially communities of color and underserved communities,” Whatley said.And soon walls will cover wire and the creatives can get to work.They’ve already started creating the mural for one of the exterior walls.
Self-portraits of children in the community painted throughout the year will eventually spell the word, “Hope.”“And that they too can build a staircase one step at a time,” Whatley said.The Germantown Arthaus is still on a mission to raise $150,000 to fund all the necessary repairs and renovations.