Pastor Corey Brooks of New Beginnings Church of Chicago and closed the deal on the abandoned motel he wants to turn into a community center. He set up camp on its rooftop more than three months ago.
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Pastor Corey Brooks of New Beginnings Church of Chicago and closed the deal on the abandoned motel he wants to turn into a community center. He set up camp on its rooftop more than three months ago.
The $100,000 donation by film mogul Tyler Perry provided the funds for Brooks and his organization, Project H.O.O.D. (Helping Others Obtain Destiny) to sign the closing papers Tuesday. He’s now ready for Phase II of fundraising to get the $15 million center built.
The community center will feature mixed-income housing, commercial spaces for small and larger businesses to ignite job creation, and areas for social services including expansion of New Beginnings Church’s “Master’s Academy.”
The South Side pastor aimed to raise $450,000 by March 31 to purchase the shuttered Super Motel, 6625 S. King Dr., across the street from his congregation. He set up digs on the rooftop and vowed to not come down until it happened.
Perry made his wish come true weeks before the end-of-the-month deadline.
The day Perry’s new movie “Good Deeds” was released, Feb. 24, he announced on the Tom Joyner Morning Show he’d give Brooks the remaining funds, $98,000, needed to demolish the motel and get a community center to replace what had become and eyesore in the neighborhood. He later increased the amount to $100,000.
Brooks also received an additional $85,000 from an anonymous donor to kick off the second phase of fundraising to get the $15 million community center built.
A demolition celebration and official kick-off to the next phase of fundraising is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. on the motel’s roof.
Copyright 2012 Chicago Defender
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