Groundbreaking of the Urban League Plaza
Plaza to be Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis’s fourth new project in area
Last week, the Urban League Plaza had its official groundbreaking ceremony. Located at 9946 W Florissant Ave., the Urban League Plaza will be a place for the community and business to thrive, spearheaded by the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis (ULMSL). This is ULMSL’s fourth new development project in the Ferguson, Dellwood and Jennings areas.
The 13,500 square foot commercial center will be anchored by a branch of First Bank. Other businesses planned for the center include At Home Care, Proficient Chiropractor, Save Our Sisters and a local restaurant. The center also has plans for a business incubator to support and grow local businesses.
The Urban League Plaza is built on the former sites of Juanita’s Fashions R Boutique and Advance Auto Parts, which were burned down during the civil unrest that occurred after the death of Michael Brown Jr in 2014. St. Louis Economic Development Partnership (STL Partnership) led recovery efforts along West Florissant Ave, with technical assistance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that included community engagement workshops and market studies to determine the feasibility of the community’s redevelopment priorities. This work led to the relationship with the ULMSL and the St. Louis Promise Zone, a federally designated program that partners with local leaders to give communities tools to rebuild and revitalize. The center is a direct outcome of these efforts and will serve as a key contributor to revitalize the West Florissant Corridor.
The groundbreaking program consisted of many influential community leaders. Michael P. McMillan, president and CEO of the ULMSL presided over the ceremony. Speakers included Bishop Larry O. Jones, St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page, Greater St. Louis, Inc. CEO Jason Hall, State Senators Brian Williams and Karla May, State Representative Yolonda Fountain Henderson, Mayor of Dellwood Reggie Jones, EPA Land Revitalization Coordinator David Doyle, First Bank Senior VP & Director of Community Affairs Stacy Clay, and Emerson VP of Diversity & Social Responsibility Akberet Boykin Farr.