Inside the shell of a modest house in East St. Louis, there is nothing to let a visitor know that one of the nation’s most noted musicians once called it home.
When Lauren Parks and Jasper Gery Pearson are inside, they can see the space where a young Miles Davis got his start in life, years before creating the music that would make him one of the biggest names in jazz. They hope to turn the trumpeter’s childhood home into a museum and educational space that will inspire children. If all goes as they plan, it will open this fall.
The demolition and renovation is primarily supported through individual donations and a grant from Lowe’s Home Improvement. Founders are additionally seeking to crowdsource funding online. The project also has partnered with Creative Exchange Lab – Center for Architecture + Design StL to help develop a strategic plan for how best to engage residents and visitors.
Read more about the plans at StLouisPublicRadio.org.