While, unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to attend last weekend’s event, hosted by NextSTL, I know of several neighbors who did, and could follow along via Twitter. The event link recaps much of the coverage and discussion. And, it’s worth digesting.
But, rather than use this post to take a particular stance on how we handle vacant property issues, I want to hightlight one notable observer’s take on the event. From The St. Louis Beacon comes this from Beacon Contributor and former St. Louis Post-Dispatch Columnist Sylvester Brown, Jr. For those of us who seek a better city for all its residents, who want our city to play a driving role in our regional future, his words are meant to encourage, and inspire.
From his childhood at Pruitt-Igoe (he is featured in the recently-released documentary, created by a team that includes a Shaw resident), to his years as a Metro columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Mr. Brown has seen (and, indeed, written about) much of what goes wrong in our city. Today, he got to expound on what went right and why. And, what we can learn from it.
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