The childhood feeling of receiving a long-awaited present permeated the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony for Fresno’s new affordable housing community, The Arthur at Blackstone.

The Arthur at Blackstone is a combination of adaptive reuse and new construction, providing 41 new affordable homes for families and transitional age youth from 18 to 24. Located where AJ’s Tuxedo Shop and the beloved Arthur’s Toys once stood, this new structure has taken on a formal look and the name of Arthur to pay respect to its predecessors.

A project of Fresno Housing, Arthur at Blackstone received more than $23 million in funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development including $5.4 million from the No Place Like Home program, $1.8 million from the Infill Infrastructure Grant program, and more than $16 million from the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Community program. The development serves individuals and families earning 30-60 percent of the Area Median Income. The development features a community meeting area, multipurpose rooms, laundry rooms, and fitness centers.

Monica Prinzing, the granddaughter of Arthur’s Toys owners Art and Grace Arthur, said her grandparents would have been proud of what has become of their store.

“Arthur’s Toys became synonymous with treasured memories,” said Prinzing. “The Arthur at Blackstone offers new hope, new possibilities for families and young people. I cannot think of a better way for my family legacy to transition to a new chapter that will nurture a healthy, vibrant community for generations to come.”