FERGUSON, Mo. — Though the pandemic stalled its efforts, the Urban League is renewing a push for development along West Florissant Avenue, on the site of two properties that burned during the Ferguson unrest in 2014.
Pat Washington, vice president of communications for the nonprofit, said it is embarking on environmental work at 9844 and 9846 West Florissant Ave., formerly the site of Fashions R Boutique and Advance Auto Parts, which it purchased from the business owners in 2019 for $255,500, according to St. Louis County records. The buildings burned in the 2014 unrest following the announcement that prosecutors would not charge former Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown Jr.
St. Louis County's Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority this month decided to re-up agreements with the Urban League, in which the LCRA will contribute no more than $400,000 in Brownfield grants, which are awarded by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. LCRA had agreed to the deal last year, but it came with a deadline, and Washington said the Urban League pivoted during the pandemic to relief efforts.
The plan on West Florissant is to develop a structure for a financial institution, such as a credit union or bank, plus an area for the promotion of financial literacy and education, Washington said.
"We also want to put something there that would be a business incubator and help startups in that area," she said, adding that the Urban League's nearby St. Louis Women Business Center and Save Our Sons program could coordinate on those efforts. A nearby Boys & Girls Club development was completed in 2019, followed by a Mercy health clinic.
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