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Plans Revelaled For Homewood Community Center

HOMEWOOD (KDKA) - Plans for a new community center in Homewood were unveiled Thursday morning.

If you take a drive along Frankstown Road, it's easy to see the community's past. However, in the 7200-block there stands a building that may very well point to a bright future.

"The vision of this building is to bring and to be a symbol of hope for the people of the community of Homewood," Rev. Eugene Freedom Blackwell said.

Today, the Homewood Renaissance Association unveiled its plans for a new 12,000 square foot renaissance center.

"This is going to be the base of activities for us. We're going to have classrooms for our educational program. We're going to have offices for Homewood Renaissance and House of Manna and most importantly we're going to have a 300-seat auditorium that will be used for various community functions," Gregg Schwotzer with the Homewood Renaissance Association said.

In addition, the open area behind the building will eventually be converted into outdoor classrooms for the community.

As for the $2 million building and where it came from?

When Dollar Bank heard about the project, they told organizers they could have the building.

But, cost and size shrink next to the mission and potential this place has. It will be Homewood's education, opportunity and cultural incubator.

"All opportunities for all people at all levels of education, desire and motivations," Dina Free Blackwell said.

"We have doctors, we have lawyers, we have architects, we have business people, we have non-profit organizations who are all willing to come together and to make a difference. To see resources come into this community and begin to make a change," Rev. Blackwell said.

Completion of the center is expected in early 2014.

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