The Northside Center for Power & Transformation is Building a Sustainable and Equitable Future for North St. Louis Residents

The Northside Center for Power & Transformation is a collaborative project led by racial justice and social service organizations ArchCity Defenders and Action St. Louis. The project involves the acquisition and rehabilitation of a 36,000 square-foot facility that most recently served as a family life center for the New Northside Missionary Baptist Church. The building will now be used as a comprehensive resource hub offering legal support, social services, political education, and spaces for community gatherings. By housing multiple services under one roof, the Center aims to reduce the time and financial burden on residents seeking support, thereby enhancing their overall well-being and opportunities for success.

The building includes a gymnasium, industrial kitchen, and outdoor gathering space, making it ideal for a wide range of community activities and services. Following acquisition, extensive renovations were required, including interior and exterior improvements, a new roof, repaved parking lots, updated lighting and signage, landscaping, as well as installations of ramps, elevators, and accessible restrooms to ensure availability to all individuals.

Given the prior property owner’s historical significance and six decades of service within the community, New Northside Missionary Baptist Church remains an advisory partner to the project to co-facilitate ongoing community engagement and provide continuity from the past to the present and future of the new facility.

ArchCity Defenders was established in 2009 with a mission to provide holistic legal advocacy services that combat the criminalization of poverty and state violence, especially in communities of color. ArchCity’s business activities include direct legal representation, social services (housing support, mental health, employment assistance, etc.), and civil litigation focused on unlawful evictions, predatory municipal practices, and systemic injustices. This collective work aims to dismantle harmful systems and promote equitable access to justice.

Founded in the wake of the 2014 Ferguson Unrest, Action St. Louis is a grassroots social justice organization that seeks to build political power for Black communities in the St. Louis region. Action St. Louis builds campaigns that leverage organizing, communication, advocacy, and direct action to mitigate harm against its community while fighting for long-term transformation.

Both co-sponsors are Black-led organizations, which reflects their commitment to representative leadership of the people and communities they serve. ArchCity Defenders’ staff, leadership, and board of directors are 60% minority, and Action St. Louis’ staff, leadership, and board of directors are 100% minority.

The Northside Center for Power & Transformation project is poised to create significant employment opportunities for low-income individuals, residents of the low-income community, formerly incarcerated people, and those facing barriers to employment. This project will create and retain 76.5 full-time equivalent positions, spanning various roles including legal aid, social services, community organizing, front office reception, facilities management, and custodial and maintenance services. Average wages will exceed the area living wage for St. Louis City, MO, and all positions will be classified as Quality Jobs that provide comprehensive benefits such as health insurance, paid time off (PTO), professional development, and career advancement opportunities.

The construction of the Center will employ local subcontractors and laborers, many of whom will be BIPOC businesses and/or individuals in the local community, streamlining the project’s economic benefits to those most impacted by systemic inequities.

The advocacy and social justice services of the project include community organizing, legal aid, and violence intervention services, ensuring that the voices of North St. Louis residents are heard and their rights are protected. Before the opening of the new facility, the Center served 100 low-income and BIPOC individuals annually. After the project investment, this Center is expected to reach thousands of local BIPOC and LIC individuals annually.

ArchCity’s social, criminal justice, and civil litigation services serve over 550 people annually through individual cases, 99% of which are low-income and/or minority individuals. Through its expanded services at the new facility, ArchCity anticipates reaching an additional 150-200 people through individual cases and another 1000 people through community education and outreach annually.

In 2023, Action St. Louis knocked on 16,210 doors, trained over 100 community members, and reached over 50,000 black community members, addressing critical social justice issues and promoting community resilience.

From the project’s inception, ArchCity Defenders and Action St. Louis have organized town halls, canvassing efforts, and direct consultations with neighborhood organizations, public leaders, and residents. This grassroots approach provided a space for residents to voice their priorities, challenges, and solutions, fostering a sense of project ownership and involvement. The community’s input was crucial in shaping the goals, improvements to, and services of the Center, ensuring the project reflects their needs and aspirations. Goals voiced by the community include security improvements and implementation of youth programming. These feedback channels will remain a core function to the Center’s continued service to the community.

In addition to the outpouring of support from the community for the project, the Center will support local businesses through the procurement of goods and services needed for daily operations. They will also offer spaces for entrepreneurial activities and facilitate connections with broader economic networks. Through this support, employment opportunities will be created indirectly by empowering community members with the skills and support needed to secure stable jobs, as well as strengthen the local economy and promote a sense of ownership and pride within the community.

The Northside Center for Power & Transformation is a key part of the City of St. Louis’ broader Economic Justice Action Plan, which aims to create a sustainable and equitable future for North St. Louis residents and the predominately BIPOC community. The project focuses on enhancing economic opportunities, improving access to critical services, and promoting social equity. By addressing these fundamental areas, the project will help stabilize households, reduce poverty, and create pathways for upward mobility. Educational workshops, training sessions, and community organizing efforts will equip residents with the knowledge and tools needed to influence change and advocate systemic reforms.

The Northside Center for Power & Transformation represents more than the rehabilitation of a building. The facility will rejuvenate North St. Louis and foster a sense of unity and empowerment among residents. By bringing legal advocacy services, political education, and community organization under one accessible and welcoming space, ArchCity Defenders and Action St. Louis will be able to remove barriers that have previously kept residents from the support they deserve.