HENRY JOHNSON BOULEVARD REHAB OFF TO SLOW START.(Local)

Byline: Richard Wexler Staff writer

The past and what city officials hope will be the future of Henry Johnson Boulevard are clearly visible at the corner where the busy thoroughfare meets First Street.

On the southeast corner stands a derelict former gas station, paint peeling off the walls. Directly across the street stands a newly rehabilitated, three-story building gleaming with a fresh coat of red and white paint.

In 1989, amid much fanfare, the city announced an ambitious $10 million plan to revitalize what was then called Northern Boulevard. About six blocks of the boulevard from Sheridan Avenue to Livingston Avenue then consisted largely of buildings that ranged from the run-down to the boarded-up.

The plan called for 80 units of new housing and 40,000 square feet of new commercial space. There would be major street and traffic improvements and funding for property owners who wanted to rehabilitate their buildings.

Henry Johnson Boulevard was not chosen because it was the worst street in the city. Rather, like the family that cleans up the living room when company is coming, the city was concerned about the …