In June 1992, a meeting of existing residents, with help from Operation Safe Street, began meeting and organized College Hill Community 2000, Incorporated.. This organization is an active force for the betterment and improvement of the overall community. The organization has had an active role in stopping the state of decline the neighborhood has experienced for the last 20 years. College Hill Community 2000 is also a Team2000 with the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse. In November of 1995, College Hill received the Eastern Division Directors Award for their Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Programs. In October 1997 College Hill Community 2000 placed fourth place in the Missouri Community Betterment 1997 Awards Competition. In October 1998 and 2001, we again won an award in the Missouri Community Betterment competition. This competition is sponsored by the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
In the years since the 1992 Operation Safe Street meeting, College Hill Community 2000 has made a great deal of progress, although the actual progress is not yet noticeable in the physical appearance of the neighborhood. As shown on the comprehensive schematic plan entitled The Analysis of Good Effects, College Hill now has a number of resource systems in place and others on the way. These systems include the following:
COMMUNITY BUILDING
While all of the items mentioned above are wonderful and significant in view of where the community was a few years ago, they are not enough in themselves to bring our community back from decay. Community building is more than structure. It is more than buildings, houses, streets, alleys and gangways. Community is a feeling, "sense," a strong belief in connection and relationship that comes from people interacting with one another in focused, planned action.
When you are re-building this sense within a community as disjointed as College Hill has become, you have to be really creative and use every available avenue to begin to provide people with a way to "see"each other as human beings, as neighbors, as friends and even as family. This sense must be built upon positive energy but you can’t afford to waste much of that energy on people who don’t see the importance of the community. In College Hill, we will invite resident support, encourage each other and resist being critical. The reason is that criticism, unchecked, is negative energy that will lead to a loss of productive potential.
THE PROCESS OF RISING FROM DECAY
As can be seem from the information presented in the historical sections of this Web Site, College Hill Community 2000 is a very special place. It is special because it has a core of hardened "anchor institutions and residents," many of whom have lived in the area for over twenty(20) years. These citizens are committed to the revitalization of this community as we look toward the challenges we have now and the ones which will present themselves in the 21st Century.
Our community is special because it requires a special breed of American. It requires people who possess an almost "pioneer spirit." This is not a community for the lazy or the faint of heart. We need talented people but people with the strength of character and the vision to recognize a real investment opportunity. We need people who have the courage and commitment to nourish their investment to maturity.
Many other communities try to attract people with a presentation of all the creature comforts and benefits that they already have in place. We will do that, too, as we progress toward our goals, but the "creature comforts" we have to offer now are things like real challenge, hard work, a significant opportunity to become part of a process to re-build a community into the kind of place you want to live in the future. We offer a real chance for satisfaction and fulfillment as you are able to see the fruits of your labor.
Like any other living community, we need financial resources and other intangibles such as expertise, political clout and savvy, professional talent, education and business development. However, what we need most at present are people who understand that these are elements that you don’t draw from the community until you have put them in. As President John F.Kennedy said about America in the 1960s, "Ask not what your country (or your community) can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country (or your community)." We invite you to come to College Hill and work with us. But, if you come, bring the "Kennedy Attitude" with you.
THE RECONSTRUCTION OF A DECAYING COMMUNITY
The College Hill Community 2000 Experience
"To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven, . . .a time to breakdown, and a time to build up . .. (Ecclesiastes 3:1 & 3)
COLLEGE HILL COMMUNITY 2000
(THE HISTORY OF THE VISION)
The seeds for this vision have been germinating for a long time. The seeds were sown in the hearts of many long term residents of this community who witnessed the declining conditions but did not have the political, financial or economic clout to halt it. Yet, to their credit, they stayed in the community and now are determined to bring it back to the vibrant place it once was. It is a vision of the institutional stake holders who have a long history of commitment and service to the area. They now see an opportunity to collaborate with other interested parties to make a real difference. These are some of the seeds of the vision. Now, what is the vision?
The concept and vision stated in our concept paper is an "Iterative Draft." By that I mean that its main purpose is to describe an evolving vision of the restoration of a depressed inner city area. This document has been written in the "narrative format" so that we might be able to communicate the sense of history, life and determination of the people involved in the community. We also hope that this document will communicate the true spirit of the vision so that those who choose to offer their assistance will understand the deeper meaning of this work for the residents. As stated in the introduction, there have been many people who have shared in this vision and some are no longer with us. At some point in the evolution of the project, we will be able to recognize and give honor to these important individuals. For the moment, our goal is to "describe and give substance to the vision."
STEPS OF THE STRATEGY
When we began this effort we knew that it would take more than our own participation but in the absence of outside resources willing to help us, we started the process on our own. The complete strategy can be laid out in the following manner:
STEP I
Identify the area. (Completed)
STEP II
Physically canvass the area to identify "Anchor Families" and "Anchor Institutions." Our only definition for "Anchors" was those institutions and families who were present before the serious decline in the community and who still remain today. (Completed)
STEP III
Draw up a plan to "stitch" these Anchor families and institutions together so that we can communicate a new "sense of community."(In progress)
STEP IV
Gradually work to improve the face of the community and to identify other families or people who can see our vision and who are willing to help. (On going goal)
STEP V
When we are sufficiently organized and have communicated our concept to other stake holders and people who can help us, we will launch an effort to develop the community. This effort will have substance, comprehensive community involvement and it will be big enough to make the kind of impact that begins to create a positive momentum. We understand that our objectives are ambitious but "ambition" is a relative concept. Given the fact that we are already trapped in a decaying situation, there is no other choice but to initiate a process to reconstruct this community. We believe our strategy is a good start.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE COLLEGE HILL COMMUNITY 2000 COMMUNITY INFORMATION, DESIGN AND BUSINESS INCUBATION CENTER
In July 1998 and 2001 College Hill Community 2000 received grants as part of Rounds 1 and 3 of the Missouri Department of Economic Development, Community Development Corporations grant program. These grants are being used to rehab a building located at 1447-49 East Grand Avenue at Blair Avenue. When completed, the building will house the offices of College Hill Community 2000, the design center for the neighborhood, information about the neighborhood for residents and visitors alike, and a business incubation center. The data on the neighborhood redevelopment efforts that College Hill has completed will be available, including AutoCAD Light software. The resources of the design center will also be available to other neighborhood organizations. The building will also be wired with Cat 5 for computer communications. Projected completion date is Summer 2003. The pictures below show this "work-in-process, " and some of the College Hill residents who gave their "sweat equity" during the demolition phase of the rehab.
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 L-R: Annie Goodlow, DeEthel Saddler, Carol J. Crenshaw |
 Earnest Goodlow |
 Quincy Lunnie |
 L-R: DeEthel Saddler & Carol J. Crenshaw |
 Ben Goins |
