Harris-Stowe State University Announces Renovation Kick-Off at Vashon Community Center

Harris-Stowe State University announces the renovation of the former Vashon Community Center Building and the construction of a new addition on the north side of the building to act as a new accessible entry. The building, which is listed on the National Historic Register, will be utilized by Harris-Stowe State University as the home to Don and Heide Wolff Jazz Institute and National Black Radio Hall of Fame. The facility will total 15,459 square feet in size. Renovations are estimated to cost 3 million.
Constructed in 1936, the Center was once one of the only public recreational facilities in St. Louis for African Americans. The renovated Center will be the new home of the Jazz Institute and Hall of Fame on the upper level. The lower level will house orientation and classroom spaces for the University and support spaces. Included in the floor plan is a new repository for historical documents that will house works from The Honorable William L. Clay Sr., the late Atty. Frankie Muse Freeman, and the Late Dr. Henry Givens, Jr., President Emeritus of Harris-Stowe State University.
On Thursday, December 16, 2021, at 10:00 a.m., Harris-Stowe will host a Renovation Kick-off Ceremony at the Vashon Community Center located at 3026 Laclede Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63103 (The Vashon Community Center is located at the corner of Compton Avenue and Market Street).
“Today, we add a gem to the many ways Harris Stowe is making a difference,” said Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith, Interim President at Harris-Stowe State University. “We are honoring our past by restoring, from 1937, one of just four black-only recreational facilities available to St. Louis area African Americans. Today, we add Food for the Soul. The Vashon Community Center will be the new home not only of the Don and Heide Wolff Jazz Institute, but also for the National Black Radio Hall of Fame. As all around us, the pandemic swirls and the climate wreaks havoc, we will have this new Vashon Center to inspire us. We can revel in the music greats of yesterday and those we admire today. We can restore our souls.”
Partners in the renovation of the Vashon Community Center include KAI Design & Build, ICS Construction Services, Ltd., and Navigate Building Solutions with the project expected to be completed in the Fall of 2022.
“KAI Enterprises is excited to play a role in revitalizing the Vashon Community Center. The latest in our long relationship with Harris Stowe State University, this project will preserve this historic building and provide a new home for the Wolff Jazz Institute and the National Black Radio Hall of Fame.” – Michael B. Kennedy, President, KAI Design & Build
“As a member of the Midtown community, we are very excited to get started on this important project for our neighbors Harris Stowe. We realize how important this project is to the University and the surrounding community and the significant role this building played in the former Mill Creek neighborhood. We are happy to be a part of preserving this important part of history for future generations.”- Greg Zavaglia, VP Operations, ICS Construction Services, Ltd.
“Navigate Building Solutions is proud to be a part of this transformative project at Harris Stowe State University! A project that truly embraces the University’s mission to provide a holistic student experience to a diverse student population.”- Todd Sweeney, Co-Founder, Navigate Building Solutions