Miles Davis’s St. Louis childhood home undergoes renovation (Wikipedia/St. Louis Public Radio)
The home late jazz icon Miles Davis grew up in is gearing up for a makeover. Thanks to a St. Louis non-profit, the house is set to become a museum and children’s education center.
Curbed reported House of Miles East St. Louis is raising funds to complete the overhaul of the one-story structure, named after the non-profit.
Crews demolished the space earlier this month. Now the goal is to restoration to its 1920s aesthetics.
In order to get there, HOME launched a $50,000 GoFundMe campaign at the end of July.
“We feel with the renovation of this home, this will be a sanctioned place to socialize, tour, and develop artistic/cultural skills, which will be useful throughout many lives,” the organization wrote on the fundraising website.
Aside from increased finances, it’s also looking for help with building materials and labor.
According to St. Louis Public Radio, most of the funds came from a grant from Lowe’s Home Improvement store along with public donations.
Architecture non-profit Creative Exchange Lab – Center for Architecture and Design St. Louis helped create a strategic plan to establish the best way to engage with the community upon completion.
“We’re looking to give our kids a little sense of home. That’s why we called this place HOME, House of Miles East St. Louis,” HOME director of programming Jasper Gary Pearson told the station. “So when you think of home you think not only about the front door and the back door but the whole community.”
The organization seeks to host a collection of Davis artifacts in the center, which was thought up in 2011. It also wants the museum to host exclusive stories about the musician’s childhood. Leaders hope the anecdotes will reinforce the city’s connections to the trumpeter.
Regarding education, HOME connected with the local school district to develop programs in conjunction with their classrooms. Music classes, history lessons and community service projects will be aimed at 6- to 12-year-olds.
“You know, I don’t see the concrete aspect of this structure,” HOME president Lauren A. Parks said. “I see children. I hear music. I see bustling of children and learning and excitement.”
House of Miles East St. Louis aims to open this fall.
