Walker | West

About the project

Model Cities Community Development Corporation (Model Cities CDC) was formed in 1998 by Model Cities of St. Paul, Inc. to stimulate economic activity within St. Paul's inner core neighborhoods by serving as a catalyst for community development and empowerment of economically and socially disadvantaged residents. This mission is carried out by means of development and support to small/minority-owned businesses and commercial and residential real estate development and management.

Walker|West was founded in 1988 when musicians Rev. Carl Walker and Grant West joined forces to provide piano instruction to children in the Summit University neighborhood of St. Paul. With one rented piano in the upstairs of a duplex, the founders pursued a vision that went beyond teaching music to create a safe, positive, life-affirming space for students to succeed. Together, Rev. Walker and Grant West developed a method of music instruction that emphasizes immediate success. Walker|West students walk out of their very first lesson knowing how to perform a simple melody.

Both Model Cities and Walker West are located in, and focus their work on, the Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul.

LISC provided a $2.48 million acquisition loan to Model Cities CDC to acquire a permanent space on behalf of Walker West. Walker West has outgrown their 6,000 sq. ft. space nearby, and they envision the new space on Marshall Ave. as a community destination with integrated and flexible spaces that are culturally relevant and uplifting for generations to come. The plan includes constructing two performance halls, labs, larger rehearsal space, small studio spaces, instrument storage as well as safer parking and pick-up and drop off options. The property being acquired through this investment is in Rondo, a historically vibrant Black neighborhood in St. Paul that was demolished in the late 50s to construct the 1-94 freeway, leveling approximately 700 homes and 350 businesses and losing intergenerational wealth overnight. This project was financed by the Community Asset Transition Fund, a flexible, affordable pool of capital to enable the acquisition of commercial and residential properties in or near the cultural districts that were impacted by the civil uprising folloding the murder of George Floyd and the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.