On November 11 at 8 pm Cornerstone Corporation will hold a benefit concert featuring Catherine Lehr, assistant principal cellist for the St. Louis Symphony. The performance will be held at Memorial Presbyterian Church, 200 S. Skinker. Tickets, costing $2.50,will be available at the door or may be purchased at the church office, 6003 Kingsbury. The telephone there is 862-7343.
Grace and Peace Fellowship, founded in 1971, has committed itself to being a part of the Skinker-DeBaliviere community by living in it. Accordingly, over 90 of its members have moved into the neighborhood.
In 1976 the Fellowship organized Cornerstone Corporation to purchase and restore buildings near the church as a demonstration of its continuing concern to stabilize and improve living conditions in the Neighborhood. Management was to be executed with concern and consideration for tenants.
Today Cornerstone owns three apartment houses: a six-family residence at 5929 McPherson, and three-family houses at 5897 Nina and 6006 Washington. McPherson, the first building to be purchased, has had one apartment completely renovated from the lathes out. Others have been redecorated. Less glamorous but essential work has gone into the electrical and plumbing systems. Bent support beams for the sun porches have been reinforced with concrete. There is a new chain link fence around the backyard. The Nina property has been reinforced with steel tie rods. Walls have been plastered and painted. 6006 Washington will undergo redecoration in the ensuing months. In the spring the efforts of a gardening committee should result in grass and colorful flowers in front of the building.
Gordon Carlson is the corporation’s manager of the properties. He is aided by occasional paid help and weekly volunteer crews from the Fellowship. Gordon can be seen driving his van from house to house, loading or unloading anything from steel cables to glass window panes. When not putting in a new stack pipe or installing a door bell he attends meetings on community problems and represents the board in financial and legal matters.
Cornerstone supplements its rental income through donations and loans. A slide-tape program describing its work is available for showing to groups.
Originally published in The Paper, November 1977.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1977_11.pdf, printed page(s) 1; PDF page(s) 1.
