By Peter E. Leggett, Walker West Music Academy

On Saturday, June 7 Walker West Music Academy opened the doors of its new facility at 760 Selby Avenue. The 26 year old non-profit community music school has spent the last year developing the 5,938 square foot space on Selby Avenue in Saint Paul’s Summit-University community. The new space provides a 61% increase in programming space for the organization and a 100-seat music venue. The new space will support the organization’s mission of providing an environment rooted in the African-American cultural experience where people of all ages can gather, explore, and grow, through music.

The total development cost  $550,000 and Walker West partnered with Milestone Real Estate Partners, The Cuningham Group, Welsh Construction, Fundraiser Andrew Currie and Sunrise Banks to plan and execute the project. Supporters of the development include the City of Saint Paul Cultural STAR Program, The Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, The Saint Paul Foundation, The Bigelow Foundation, The McKnight Foundation, The 3M Foundation and numerous individual donors. The Academy’s old building, which it owned and operated for more than 20 years, was sold to River Dog Realty, a Saint Paul based community business who is restoring 777 Selby to its original mixed commercial and residential use. For more information, go to www.WalkerWest.org.