GGLO recently broke ground on The Arthur @ Blackstone in Fresno, California.

The project will bring 41 new units of affordable housing to the Blackstone corridor near Manchester Center and is expected to be completed in Fall 2023. In the middle of the last century, children loved to visit Arthur’s Toys to get their first bicycle and browse the aisles in wonder, all the while conjuring up a long list for Santa. Decades later, the store closed and over time fell into disrepair. Together with Fresno Housing, GGLO reimagines the building, providing affordable housing for growing families and a place to live for those who were recently homeless through the California Department of Housing & Community Development’s “No Place Like Home” and “Infill Infrastructure Grant” programs.

The building will meet California Green Building standards with an emphasis on mechanical and photovoltaic energy systems, efficient building envelopes, and drought-resistant landscaping. FHA specifically selected the site for its excellent transit connectivity, with the Manchester Transit Center less than a third of a mile away. Extensive retail shopping, entertainment, and dining options are co-located with the transit center and along the Blackstone Corridor, and key amenities such as a grocery store, park, pharmacy, schools, and a library are close by. Transit connectivity opens up access to job opportunities across the income spectrum within Fresno’s two largest job centers—Downtown and River Park.