I recently formed the Brunswick Redevelopment and Revitalization Committee in my hometown of Brunswick, MO. I was just tired of seeing my beloved hometown become weary, and decided to make a difference. Brunswick is a small town of only 925 people residing in the city limits, 1300 if you count the residents in the township. Downtown Brunswick is unique because unlike most cities our downtown is located directly on the major Highway 24. Every motorist that travels Highway 24 has to travel right through the business district, so there is huge opportunity for future businesses to take advantage of this and thrive. It is our goal to shine this fading gem back to her former glory by repairing the vacant buildings so new businesses can have a place to set up shop and thrive. We envision the downtown to be a place where businesses flourish, people go to meet, shop, dine, live, walk around, and enjoy the atmosphere. The structures will complement each other with their facades relating back to their original design. One of our main projects is to restore the Russell Opera House located within the business district. The Russell Opera House was built in 1903 in dedication to Sol Smith Russell, one time Brunswick resident and world renowned comedic actor of his time. The building now sits vacant just begging to be restored. Or goal is to restore the opera house to its former glory, using the upstairs opera house for public and private events and restoring the ground floor store fronts to be used for future businesses. The Brunswick Redevelopment and Revitalization Committee 60 plus members are eager to roll up their sleeves and begin working on restoring our downtown. It only takes a handful of people to make a difference; all you need is determination and a little vision and you can change the world, and we have an abundant amount of both. With a grant such as this we can light the beacon to a brighter future for our beloved city and help her rise from her ashes, and soar once again.
