Seven years ago, people across the nation watched a section of West Florissant burn during the Ferguson Uprising. Afterwards, many of the street’s buildings were left empty, perpetually underused.
At 9947 West Florissant, in Dellwood, the Urban League is continuing its multi-year attempt to change the street’s reputation.
On Monday, the organization held a ground-breaking ceremony for a senior apartment complex and community center. This is the first such senior center project ever undertaken by the Urban League.
Michael P. McMillan, President and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, presided over the event. He thanked ULSTL’s 350 staffers for their work on the project, and noted that the decision to build a senior center was based very much on community input as the population of St. Louis County ages.
“We want to be leaders in the form of living out what the community has in mind,” McMillan said. He also thanked County Executive Sam Page, who, he said, used his “political capital” to push for this to happen. Page himself said that the development along West Florissant was “a response to the inequities highlighted by Michael Brown’s death…but we have a long way to go.”
“Thanks again to Michael McMillan and the Urban League for your continued commitment to the region…so let’s keep the momentum going,” Page added. “Let’s show the rest of the country how we’ve taken a tragic event, galvanized a community, and committed to leaving no one behind.”
The older adult population (those over 65) represent 14.4% of St. Louis County. Councilwoman Rita Heard Days at the event said that “the citizenry is getting older, and we need to provide for the seniors whose shoulders we stand on to be where we are today.” And Reggie Jones, mayor of Dellwood, noted that the municipality provides discounted or free municipal services like cutting grass and trash collection for its aging residents.
“Dellwood is a very senior-friendly community,” he said. “You might want to move to Dellwood if you’re a senior!”
The center, which will serve low-income senior citizens, is to be constructed with KAI Design Build and Gardner Capital. It will include 44 units, as well as a community space on the first floor.
McMillan noted that while the building is to be constructed in Dellwood, it is in many ways connected to Ferguson and the uprisings there. “Ferguson and Dellwood are inextricably tied together,” he said. “Many of the businesses that were sadly destroyed were actually in Dellwood, not Ferguson.”
“Seven years ago, I was in this spot when it all was almost burning down,” Mayor Jones said. “So it’s surreal to be here celebrating. This is going to be a great street.”
