Stimulating Economic Activity & Increasing Connections to the Regional Economy

Center for Culinary Enterprises

The Center for Culinary Enterprises will house three commercial kitchens for area food entrepreneurs. The kitchens will be accessible at a low-cost to the entrepreneurs in order to lower barriers of entry into the food and catering industries. The Center will also offer business development services, maintain a community garden that produces fresh vegetables for residents, and house a youth-run restaurant, where local teens will learn key aspects of the business of food. LISC's early financing of the Center's predevelopment costs has helped secure construction financing. In this quarter there have been a number of developments to bring the Center closer to fruition. These include:

• Project financing has advanced, including receiving preliminary approval from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration.
• The project's permanent financing sources have been assembled and the project is tentatively scheduled for a fall groundbreaking.
• Revised project designs have been completed by the design and development team.
• An Advisory Council of food industry experts assembled, and the first meeting was held.
• In connection with the project, TEC's Philly Food Ventures business development program has been designed-- it is prepared for launch in Fall 2010.
• TEC-CDC has obtained a $37,000 grant from Claneil Foundation for programming.
• TEC-CDC has obtained a commitment from Bon Appetit to phase University of Pennsylvania baking contracts to CCE clients.
• The CDC has raised $10,000 in private donations to support the project.