A former West Garfield Park church will be rehabilitated as the MAAFA Center for Arts & Activism through support from a $2.4 million Neighborhood Opportunity Fund grant approved by City Council today.

The MAAFA Redemption Project plans to invest $6 million to redevelop the property at 4241 W. Washington Blvd. as its new headquarters, supporting programming focused on the arts, education, organizing and neighborhood activation. The center will include an art gallery, classrooms, meeting space, a library, a fitness center and a dining and lounge area.

Constructed in 1916, the building was previously the home of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church. The project is estimated to create 22 full-time jobs and 56 part-time jobs. The MAAFA Redemption Project, founded in 2017, provides workforce development, educational training and access to mental wellness services to at-risk young men.

The Neighborhood Opportunity Fund allocates fees paid by downtown construction projects to support commercial corridor investment on the South, Southwest and West sides. Grant amounts exceeding $250,000 require City Council approval.