We (some neighbors) welcome a proposed affordable housing project that preserves the beautiful historic church and existing community spaces, with utilization of the surface parking lot on Fairmount and some interior spaces of the church for the project development--Not the demolition of the historic building, nor the expansion into existing easements and community spaces or removal of native trees. We want to start here and work the project around this.

The church at 111 Fairmount was built in 1928. Over the last 100 years the church and surrounding property has served as a gathering space and a safe haven for neighbors and community members. For decades the church served a primarily African American congregation, and throughout the ages different members have served a diverse and vibrant community both inside and outside the church.  The old oak trees, church gardens, and beautiful sanctuaries are a peaceful urban respite to neighbors and those passing through the neighborhood.   In the last 10 years the building hosted poetry reading nights open to all, chorus groups, a Mongolian children's activity group, hundreds of nonprofit community serving events, and numerous neighborhood BBQs and formal/informal gatherings have taken place on and around the property.

Many of you remember renowned Black artist, Stevens J. Carter, A.K.A. "Mayor of the Neighborhood," and his longtime love and dedication helping care for the church property as it fell into disrepair. Stevens and his wife's home sits next to the church on 29th Street (the house with the painted tree and peace sign) and they have long held (and want to continue holding) artist and neighborhood community events on their driveway (the rear 110-year old easement between them and the church). Though their home remains in Stevens' family and is his wife's home, Stevens and some of the other community leaders are sadly no longer around. It is up to us as neighbors and community members to continue holding and maintaining this sacred place for the neighborhood and community.

The initial development proposal for the affordable housing project would demolish most of the historic church, the church courtyard and sideyard on 29th, removes some of the surrounding trees, and builds an expanded 6-story new construction affordable housing project into the rear easement and exterior spaces long used as community gathering spaces.

On Tuesday evening the project developers will propose an updated plan for the project. We need folks to speak up and get involved to help design this project. 

We (some neighbors) want to see a development proposal that:

1. Preserves the beautiful historic church (including the entire historic church exterior/building frame, and respects the existing easements on the property) 

2. Preserves and honors existing community spaces, inside and out (including the green spaces, rear easement, and beautiful historic interior community halls and woodwork)

3. As much as possible, utilizes the empty parking lot on Fairmount as building space while preserving the local ecology and old growth/native trees on and around the property (including the rear 29th St. easement/creek ecology)

4. Is designed in collaboration with neighbors and key stakeholders, and that honors the existing property and history. Let's celebrate the historic site and see it as an "asset" to the project rather than a problem to demolish. We can better welcome new residents if this project remains rooted in the neighborhood and maintains the existing healing, peaceful, beautiful, historic, and inclusive space.