The vision for connecting St. Louis and the Brickline Greenway now has Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) as a partner.
The new Greenway Project on Market Street focuses on improving access for residents and visitors while enhancing the environment, and commemorating local history with public art.
Construction will begin this summer for the new stretch of greenway along Market Street between 22nd St. and Compton Ave. Market Street will be narrowed, now with shorter distances to cross the street and still plenty of room for driving and parking.
The 0.8-mile project will include trees and artwork. The expansion will begin at the corners of Compton and Market Avenue in front of the Vashon Community Center and travel east on Market alongside the rear of the Dr. Henry Givens, Jr. Administration Building, formerly Vashon High School. The project is funded through regional sales tax dollars from Great Rivers Greenway, local donors, and funding from the State of Missouri.
“The Brickline Greenway coming to Harris-Stowe State University is a powerful symbol of connection and progress, both celebrating the history and looking forward,” Dr. LaTonia Collins-Smith, president of HSSU, said during a May 1, 2024, celebration.
“We’re a proud partner on this greenway project to both enhance our campus and surrounding community and underscore the enduring legacy of our school, which has played a vital role in educating and empowering generations of leaders.”
Susan Trautman, CEO of Great Rivers Greenway, called the mile of Greenway “special because it will transform your experience into one that feels more comfortable but also more dynamic, connecting you to the stories of St. Louis.
“Brickline Greenway has a lot of momentum right now; the community members, partners, and funders are coming together to make this bold vision a reality. We also feel that HSSU is in many ways hallowed ground, and the ability to honor and celebrate the Mill Creek Valley residents who lived on the land before it was demolished is critically important to the community. We have enjoyed the collaboration with everyone on the campus, this is a partnership that truly demonstrates what can be accomplished when we work together.”
The Brickline Greenway is a 10-mile network of greenways connecting 14 St. Louis neighborhoods, from Forest Park to the Gateway Arch National Park, and hundreds of destinations in between. This transformative project aims to connect people to destinations and community stories, enhance the environment, and drive growth by sparking economic development and creating equitable opportunities for shared prosperity for all St. Louis residents. The 135-mile Greenway is accessible by walkers, runners, and rollers.
With two segments completed, the Market Street breaking ground this summer, and several more in construction in 2025 and 2026, Brickline Greenway is on track to finish in 2030.
The plan also calls for extensions of artist Damon Davis’ “Pillars of the Valley” – a permanent art installation commemorating the historic Mill Creek Valley neighborhood.
“The greenway is important to the HSSU community because it will enhance the campus environment and quality of life for students and staff. It will also better integrate the university into the surrounding urban fabric while raising Harris-Stowe’s profile as an engaged urban university,” said Collins Smith.
She hopes the project will spur economic development, new businesses, and job opportunities in the neighborhood.
Davis’ art along the Greenway is near several Harris-Stowe attractions.
These include refurbished Stars Park, home field for the legendary St. Louis Stars of Negro Leagues Baseball fame, and the Vashon Center, a facility from the Mill Creek Valley community, which is now home to the Don and Heide Wolff Jazz Institute and the Black Radio Hall of Fame.
“Imagine a community space that transcends boundaries – a vibrant, open, and welcoming network of paths and places that invite discovery and exploration while creating equitable opportunities for everyone to thrive,” said Trautman.
The visionary project is shaped by the voices of the people who will use it every day. She said input from HSSU is inherent in the design of the project on their campus. Their involvement has shaped how people will move through the greenway and stop to explore the Mill Creek neighborhood and Stars Field stories. Discovering the past, present, and future of HSSU. The new trail will provide a unique experience and at the same time a new transportation option that helps to promote healthy lifestyles.
Greenway Listening Tour in North County
St. Louis’ regional greenway agency is exploring possible greenway connections in the North County areas of Black Jack, Bridgeton, Florissant, Hazelwood, Old Jamestown, Spanish Lake, and unincorporated St. Louis County! Public engagement is an important part of this process, as such GRG is hosting the first in a series of educational listening tour open houses.
The first was held Tuesday, May 7 at Hazelwood’s Civic Center East at 8969 Dunn Road from 5-7. The tour is to provide more information on the greenways and their benefits.
Shaughnessy Daniels, Director of Civic Engagement for GRG said, “Listening tours, like the one we are doing in North County, allow Great Rivers Greenway to understand the current needs, future priorities, and desires for greenway projects.”
The director says that the organization hasn’t had as much participation from this portion of the region in its strategic planning process as some others.
To ensure community thoughts and concerns are included, they are trying to hear directly from the neighbors they are serving.
“The input is critical to our process,” she added.
Upcoming Listening Sessions:
Thursday, May 9
JFK Community Center located at 315 Howdershell Rd.
Tuesday, May 14
North County Rec. Center located at 2577 Redman Rd.
Ashley Winters is a Report for America reporter for the St. Louis American.
