Watch CBS News

South Side building demolished to make room for 'Rooftop Pastor' Corey Brooks' new community center

Building demolished to make room for 'Rooftop Pastor' Corey Brooks' new community center
Building demolished to make room for 'Rooftop Pastor' Corey Brooks' new community center 00:59

CHICAGO (CBS) -- "Rooftop Pastor" Corey Brooks took a big step toward making his dream of a community center a reality.

Brooks and his organization Project H.O.O.D began demolishing a building at 66th and King Drive on Tuesday to make room for his planned, 89,000-square foot community center.

Brooks said the facility will be a hub for entrepreneurs and artists in the Woodlawn community. He also hopes it will be for children to learn and play in peace.

"We're tearing it down because we need this space to have this center, to have transformed lives, so that we make our neighborhood everything we believe our neighborhood should be," he said.

Brooks has raised more than $18.5 million dollars for the project. He needs another $16 million. He plans to continue to camp out on his rooftop to raise funds until he gets it.

Brooks said the plans are to break ground the center on October 29th.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.