Replies

IMAGINE THAT!

FLASHBACK:
http://www.slfp.com/CitySide101610.htm

$41 Million Arlington Grove Residential Redevelopment Project Is a Vision of Revitalization for the Neighborhood
by Betty Moore, SLFP.com
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), October 15, 2010 - Ground breaking ceremonies were held today for a residential redevelopment project in north St. Louis City that symbolizes positive changes for a neighborhood’s economy and its residents.

Arlington Grove, located at the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Drive and Burd Avenue, has been the vision of residents, local politicians and businesses for many years in a continuing effort to revitalize the Wells/Goodfellow community.

The start of the residential project also represents the continuation of investment in the neighborhood by the Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church, adjoining the construction site of the former Arlington School, designed by St. Louis architect William B. Ittner and built in 1899.

Colorful balloons and a large white tent on the church’s parking lot welcomed several hundred guests for the special event, including Lt. Governor Peter Kinder, St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay, St. Louis Alderman Jeffery L. Boyd, 22nd Ward; Darlene Green, St. Louis City Comptroller; Mattie Moore, Deputy Director, Office of U.S. Senator McCaskill, Alyson Singfield, Community Outreach Coordinator, Office of U.S. Congressman Clay, James M. Heard, Field Office Director, HUD St. Louis Field Office and Sal Martinez, Commissioner, St. Louis Housing Authority.

Kinder remarked that this day highlighted the teamwork by many people who reached “across the aisle” to make it happen. “At a time of 40% of unemployment in many of the construction trades in the St. Louis region, this is about real jobs. This project and its millions of dollars in expenditures will buy lots of materials at lumber yards and building centers.”

Rev. Michael Jones, Senior Paster, Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church, and Chairman, Robert Fulton Development Corporation, received a rousing, standing ovation from the crowd before he spoke.

“We are in the saving business. Years ago we thought about this kind of move in the community. We stayed and fought hard. When no one else would invest into this community, we stayed and invested our own dollars, our own time and our own people. We built our own senior buildings, with the help of HUD and other partners.”

“When I stand here,” he continued, “I stand representing at least 5,000 members in our community.” Everyone laughed when he added, “That’s 5,000 votes, Amen. Our people are proud of this community and we look forward to what is going to happen in the future.”

(snip)