North of Delmar continues to grow as a coalition of nonprofits, philanthropists, and corporate partners committed to long-term revitalization in St. Louis. Our mission is rooted in the idea that true community transformation takes all of us, including residents, institutions, and partners, working together to build a stronger, more inclusive future.

A Neighborhood With Deep Roots

The Wells-Goodfellow area, our demonstration neighborhood for 2025–2026, is a community with a rich past and untapped potential. In the mid-20th century, it thrived as a bustling hub of small businesses, transit lines, and vibrant street life.

Shoppers moved between local stores, neighbors caught up on front porches, and streetcars pulled into neighborhood stations

Recognizing the Need for Restoration

Today, Wells-Goodfellow faces significant challenges such as vacant storefronts, aging infrastructure, and underutilized public space.

But with these challenges come opportunities. These same streets can be revived through coordinated action, thoughtful planning, and community-led investment. Our initiative exists to bridge the gap between what was and what could be, grounded in a vision for inclusive, place-based transformation.

 Programs in Motion

We’re proud to share several key projects that are currently underway or in development:

• Trash to Treasure: This community arts initiative, planned for Spring 2026 in partnership with Craft Alliance, builds on events happening this summer. It will engage youth and residents in turning discarded materials into public art and storytelling installations that celebrate neighborhood identity.

• Healthcare Access: With support from IFM, we are exploring the development of a community health clinic at the Pierre Laclede School site. This clinic would bring much-needed healthcare services to students and families directly within the neighborhood.

• Data-Driven Strategy: A Washington University research team recently analyzed neighborhood conditions across St. Louis. Their findings placed Wells-Goodfellow among the lowest-ranked areas—an urgent call to action that we are answering with focused projects and deeper collaboration.

Interns Driving Innovation

This summer, MBA interns from Washington University are helping to redesign our website, improve digital communications, and develop tools to support local entrepreneurship. Their work is helping create a more connected and accessible platform for our community and partners.

Let’s Collaborate

Are you working on similar goals? Trying to create change, but doing it alone? Let’s change that. We invite you, whether you're a neighbor, donor, educator, entrepreneur, or advocate, to sit down with us over a cup of coffee. We’d love to hear about your work and introduce you to others across our growing network of changemakers.

Stay Connected and Support the Mission

We’ve launched a new contact form to hear from you directly, whether you have questions, ideas, or would like to receive future newsletters. If you’re able to support us financially, we welcome contributions through Justine Petersen. Please be sure to designate your gift for “North of Delmar”. You may also specify a particular project you'd like to support, and we will ensure your donation is directed accordingly.

Together, We Move Forward

Wells-Goodfellow’s story is still being written, and we hope you’ll be part of it. With your continued support and collaboration, we can turn this once-bustling district into a model for community-centered progress and inclusive development in St. Louis.