New Collaborative Community Development Corporation Forms to Support Areas Along Northern Part of Brickline Greenway 

Posted on Tuesday August 13, 2024

Brickline North CDC will serve Covenant Blu-Grand Center, Jeff-Vander-Lou and St. Louis Place neighborhoods 

A new organization was incorporated this month – the Brickline North Community Development Corporation (BNCDC) was signed into existence by representatives from each of the three neighborhoods it will serve, alongside T. Christopher Peoples, Director of Equity + Economic Impact for Great Rivers Greenway.  

BNCDC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works to empower individuals and neighborhoods served by the Brickline Greenway’s North Connector, namely Covenant Blu-Grand Center, Jeff-Vander-Lou (JVL), and St. Louis Place, by fostering inclusive and sustainable neighborhoods through collaborative initiatives and partnerships. The economic development programming will provide comprehensive community development services including neighborhood capacity building, neighborhood revitalization, public safety Initiatives, nonprofit and small business support and community engagement and advocacy.  

This is the direct result of the past six years of civic engagement around this topic with neighbors, businesses and community leaders. Peoples was hired into this privately-funded role in August 2022, working collaboratively with St. Louis Development Corporation to implement equitable economic development strategies in the Brickline Greenway project area.  

“My role exists to ensure that the Brickline Greenway is an asset that creates a ripple effect of thoughtful, sustainable support for this community, such as repopulation and opportunities for shared prosperity,” said Peoples. “I’ve spent the last two years listening and collaborating, and now we’ve come together to create this CDC as a vehicle to both implement and amplify efforts happening in these three neighborhoods, particularly when no other tool is available.” 

The Board of Directors that will govern the organization has specific criteria, set out in the bylaws, to ensure representation from the areas they serve. The founding steering committee members that help establish the governance and programming are as follows: 

  • Gwen Chambers, St. Louis Place resident
  • Lois Conley, Griot Museum of Black History
  • Audrey Ellermann, Covenant-Blu Grand Center resident & neighborhood assoc. president
  • Russell Houston, St. Louis Place resident
  • Darby Latham, St. Louis Place resident (Vector Communications)
  • Jeremy Main, Jeff-Vander-Lou resident (Mission: St. Louis)
  • Matt Oldani, Deaconess Foundation
  • Tom Pickel, retired CDC director
  • Tim Tucker, Real Estate and Community Development Consultant
  • Daphne Redding, St. Louis Place resident
  • Constance Siu, North Newstead Association

“The formation of the new CDC has not only been a wonderful experience; it is a dream come true,” said Ellermann. “This will assure the community that the North Central plan will be implemented and will complement the efforts of the Brickline Greenway, assuring a better future for the neighborhoods. It gives the residents a voice – ‘Nothing about us without us’ – an extraordinary change is about to happen, the first of its kind in St. Louis.” 

“The Brickline Greenway can and should result in additional investment throughout the North Grand Corridor community – how that future investment happens, who that investment benefits, and what the impact of that investment will be on the broader neighborhood are of deep concern to current residents, businesses, and other organizations,” said Main. “This CDC will be an important piece of infrastructure for helping shape future investments, both by supporting existing efforts and catalyzing new efforts that will contribute to an ever-more-flourishing North Grand Corridor community.” 

“The formation of this CDC has given our communities the ambition to advance and transform our living spaces,” said Redding. 

BNCDC will operate in conjunction with the many neighborhood organizations, neighboring CDCs, St. Louis Development Corporation, and individual stakeholders and neighbors alike to determine when the entity is the right fit for any given task, supporting the collective vision for the area. Stay informed on the project and process by subscribing for updates at www.GreatRiversGreenway.org/subscribe.  

Brickline Greenway/Great Rivers Greenway 

Brickline Greenway is a bold vision to connect people and our city’s most treasured places, creating inspiring experiences and equitable opportunities for growth. This will be a network of 10 miles of greenways, linking up to 14 neighborhoods in the City of St. Louis, connecting Forest Park to the Gateway Arch National Park, Fairground Park to Tower Grove Park and hundreds of destinations in between. Progress includes two segments built, four more in design and is now 44% funded through local tax dollars, State of Missouri funds, several federal grants and private philanthropy. www.BricklineGreenway.org    

 Great Rivers Greenway is a public agency, created by a vote of the people in St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles County in the year 2000 to create a sales tax dedicated to connecting the region with greenways. The mission is to make the St. Louis region a more vibrant place to live, work and play by developing a network of greenways with partners and communities, enhancing healthy habitats and watersheds along the way. Whether you walk, run, ride a bike, roll a wheelchair or push a stroller, there are 135 miles of greenways and counting for you to explore and enjoy! www.GreatRiversGreenway.org