May 22, 2008 Issue                                       

©2007 The Chestnut Hill Local

Weavers Way zeroes in on Kurtz building
by Kristin Pazulski

Weavers Way Co-op, a natural food grocer in Mt. Airy, might be purchasing the building at Moreland Avenue and Winston Road in Chestnut Hill, currently housing Kurtz Construction.

The co-op, which has been seeking a property for its second location, is in conversation with the Kurtz building’s owners, according to Stuart Katz, co-op board president. Katz said negotiations are taking place, but no agreements or commitments have been made.

The location meets many of the co-op’s needs: it is a larger space, nearby to current customers and easily accessible to communities interested in using the co-op, such as Germantown, Mt. Airy, Chestnut Hill and neighborhoods in Montgomery County.

“A lot of our needs and a lot of the community’s needs” would be served with that purchase, Katz said.

Because negotiations are in process, Katz did not want to give details about the cost of the building, since that has not been determined.

“We don’t want to negotiate in the paper,” he said.

But Katz said it was likely that the co-op would receive state funding for the purchase or the construction improvements that will be necessary after the purchase.

“There are several politicians who support the articulated mission of Weavers Way … and when all the elements are in place, it is likely we will secure a state grant,” Katz said, but could not say how much, as that is still undetermined.