Lower Roxbury organization seeks developer for building

Yawu Miller

Forty years ago, before urban renewal razed more than 2,000 units of housing to make way for the planned Inner Belt Highway, Edris Lake’s neighborhood had parks and schools.

Now the view down Warwick Streets ends with a narrow strip of parkland before the hustle and din of Melnea Cass Boulevard. To the east are the brick apartment buildings of Mandela Estates and to the west, the concrete buildings of Roxse Homes. Urban renewal surrounds Lake’s Lower Roxbury enclave.

“Cabot Street used to go all the way to Ruggles,” she says, pointing toward the boulevard. “Tremont Street had shops.”

Madison Park, which once was really a park, is now a housing development and a school. Frederick Douglass Sq. is hardly noticeable behind the hulking eight-story Roxse Homes high rise.

Lake, who moved into the neighborhood in 1940, and several dozen neighbors living in the six streets bounded by Windsor, Warwick, Westminster and Hammond streets are all that remains of the Lower Roxbury enclave.

Also remaining is the meeting house where many from the neighborhood held their meetings, parties, weddings and political forums. Now Lake and her neighbors are trying to bring that building back from the dead.

Working with the Madison Park Community Development Corporation, members of United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury have drafted a request for proposals seeking a developer for the building. The 2,240 square foot space would be perfect for a local, nonprofit service provider, according to United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury member Reggie Jackson.

“It could be after-school programming for youth or senior programs,” he said. “We really want somebody who has programs that would be an asset to this neighborhood and this community.”

While there are many teens in the immediate neighborhood, there is no teen center in the area.

Jackson, who moved into the neighborhood in 1978, said the neighborhood association would lease the property out to the developer, then rent space for an office in the building and maintain a right to use the building for community meetings.

The building began its life as the United Emmanuel Holiness Church. During urban renewal in the early 1970s, the church re-located to a new building constructed on Windsor Street. At that point, UNLR took over the building. Keeping its doors open into the early ’80s, when it fell into disrepair.

“Back in the days, it was active,” Jackson said of the building. “There were meetings, recitals, concerts, candidates nights. There are still enough of us here to keep it going. We could do a lot if we got it back into shape.”

Madison Park CDC lent a helping hand, paying off the building’s back taxes and utility bills, then assisted with the drafting of the RFP, which is due to be released soon, according to Jackson.

“We’re not trying to make any money on this deal,” he said. “All we’re hoping for is a space to meet and a small office. And we’re looking to have some say in how the building is used.”