Newsletter- Dec 2024

Welcome to our first newsletter!

A lot has been going on organizing individuals, non-profit entities, companies, universities, philanthropists and others, collaborating to do important work North of Delmar.

Here are some of the entities we have spoken with.  We have not asked them for formal commitments yet.

Access Point

Bridge of Hope

COCA

Craft Alliance

Friendly Temple

Great Rivers Greenway

McCormack Baron

St. Louis Community College

Trailnet

UMSL

Urban Strategies

Washington University

Wells-Goodfellow Neighborhood Association

Wellston Loop CDC

We have selected the Wells-Goodfellow neighborhood as our “demonstration project”.  Our hope is to bring a number of the above entities and others to provide services within the neighborhood. 

North of Delmar is a community collaboration initiative aiming to foster holistic development and sustainable growth in the St. Louis area. The project brings together non-profit organizations with support from major corporations, philanthropists, and universities in the region. The goal is to raise funding to bolster the ongoing initiatives of the non-profits and conduct research to validate their impact. The collaboration will officially commence in 2025. Additional entities interested in contributing or participating are encouraged to join the initiative.

North of Delmar is an area in St. Louis with immense potential for community-driven development. However, it also faces significant challenges such as poverty, inadequate housing, and limited access to resources. Recognizing the need for a collaborative approach, several non-profit organizations have come together to form a unified front for positive change. By leveraging the resources and expertise of major corporations, philanthropists, and universities, North of Delmar aims to address systemic issues and empower residents for a brighter future.

North of Delmar strives to create a thriving and inclusive community by fostering collaboration among non-profit organizations, corporations, philanthropists, and universities. Through strategic partnerships and targeted investments, we aim to improve quality of life, promote economic opportunity, and drive sustainable development in the St. Louis area.

In the Wells-Goodfellow area, cleaning projects have been proceeding nicely.  The area is looking especially green!

Goodfellow Renewal is an important first step in returning the Wells-Goodfellow neighborhood to a vibrant self-reliant community.  We have been exploring what more might be possible going forward.  First, what else could be accomplished if we had additional and substantial financial resources.  Second what could get done through the assistance, expertise and commitment of professionals, in areas like housing development, health care, and transportation, working in collaboration to help Wells-Goodfellow achieve its goals.  Our focus is on accomplishing both what is wanted and needed in the community.   

We plan to meet soon with the community and listen to their inputs on what is most wanted and get their reactions to what others suggest may be helpful.   The primary goal of our initial meeting (plus one additional meeting) is to create a vision of the services, the buildings, and the activities that they see in their view of Wells-Goodfellow as a vibrant self-reliant community.  This vision is critical to both our ability to secure major financial commitments to achieve these goals and to gain the commitment of time and resources from the people and organizations that can do the work.    

After the meeting, we will sort through their inputs and come back with an illustrative architect’s draft plan of a redeveloped Wells-Goodfellow based on these inputs.  Our second meeting would be to work together to refine this illustrative plan and get something that has their support and that we can share with funders, service providers and other members of the Wells-Goodfellow community.  

Other good things happening North of Delmar include:

Great Rivers Greenway is working with community members, stakeholders, and the City of St. Louis to plan, design, and construct a 3.5 mile greenway on St. Louis’s near north side, stretching from the Grand Center District on the east to Gwen Giles Park on the west.  The planned route follows the right-of-way once occupied by the Hodiamont streetcar line (also known as the Suburban Tracks), with potential connections to the St. Vincent, Centennial, and Brickline Greenways.  Along the way, the corridor travels through seven different neighborhoods including Covenant Blu-Grand Center, Vandeventer, Lewis Place, Fountain Park, Academy-Sherman Park, Visitation Park and the West End. 

Come join us and let’s all work together!

Eric M.

Eliot S.

Stuart Z.