ST. LOUIS - A local non-profit has big plans for a small piece of land in North St. Louis. "Beloved Streets of America" wants to bring some life back to a struggling neighborhood.
"We've been around this neighborhood, I grew up in this neighborhood. And we've seen the decline in this neighborhood," Melvin White, President of BSA, said.
"We've seen drugs come into the neighborhood, abandoned buildings, businesses moving outwards. And right now, it's just a dilapidated street with crime aspects to it."
White says he sees other streets across the country bearing Dr. King's name that are also in poor shape.
"Most of them are in impoverished sections of the country," White said. "And we feel that's unfitting for the man who's dedicated his life to uplifting communities."
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"Our mission is to bring back jobs and bring back stability to these forgotten neighborhoods."
Beloved Streets is planning to build a legacy park at the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Hamilton in North St. Louis. White hopes the project will get started this year, in 2015.
St. Louis-based architect Derek Lauer designed the renderings, which include a statue of Dr. King. White hopes local residents and organizations will add to the park with their stories.
"In this park we hope to honor some of the victims that have been lost through violence, by placing a brick with their name engraved on it," he said. "Just recognizing some of those who've lost loved ones as well as honoring some of the heroes of St. Louis and across the country."
It's also a call for funding. White said they have the property and the plan, now they need the finances. He said the statue, alone, will cost about $130,000. The park will cost an additional $300,000.
"It's going to be uplifting for this neighborhood," White said.
Because right now, we don't have anywhere that can be a beacon for th
e community to gather and talk about some of the issues that's plaguing this area."
