Dutchtown spruces up to promote community improvement

A two-story mural in St. Louis’ Dutchtown neighborhood is part of a community event to promote lasting change in the neighborhood.

 
Volunteers also have painted crosswalks and planted trees in preparation for Dutchtown Better Block on Saturday.

Crosswalks in the 4700 block of Virginia Avenue were painted with fleurs-de-lis. Photo by skatch via Reddit.

The daylong Dutchtown Better Block event will feature two pop-up shops, Little Red Reading House and Dutchtown Domestic Arts; Urban Matter‘s grand opening; and several activities, including a chess pocket park, poetry readings and story-time for kids, community garden tours, an outdoor café and a family movie at dusk.

Screwed Arts Collective started its mural on the side of a house at 4705 Virginia Ave. on Sept. 5. See how it progressed:

 
Dutchtown Better Block, led by Dutchtown South Community Corp. and Trailnet, is financed in part through a grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the St. Louis Community Development Administration and the Norman J. Stupp Foundation.

Screwed Arts Collective created a Cinco de Mayo mural on Cherokee Street earlier this year.