City of Miami Commissioner Keon Hardemon Holds Ground-Breaking Ceremony to Kick Off Art Basel
MIAMI – City of Miami Commissioner Keon Hardemon and the Southeast Overtown Park West Community Redevelopment Agency (SEOPW CRA) will hold a ground breaking ceremony and community mural paint party in Historic Overtown on Wednesday, November 5, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. at the Old Clyde Killen’s Pool Hall, located at 920 NW 2nd Ave.
The painting of the mural will kick off “Overtown Soul Basel”, a collaboration between the SEOPW CRA, the Urban Collective, the Black Archives History and Research Foundation of South Florida (Black Archives), New Washington Heights CDC, and Headliner Market Group to highlight Overtown’s unique art, music, and culture during this year’s Art Basel. This year’s exhibitions in Overtown will feature works from dozens of established and emerging African-Americans, including legendary artist Purvis Young. During the event, organizers will unveil information on the galleries and events taking place during Art Basel.
The SEOPW CRA will also hold a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of work on the Old Clyde Killen’s Pool Hall. The landmarked building was once owned and operated by the legendary Clyde Killen’s, a local Overtown resident and promoter who brought entertainers such as Count Basie, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, B.B. King, Patti Labelle, and Ella Fitzgerald to Overtown. Hoping to breathe fresh air into the building, the SEOPW CRA has received approval from its Board of Commissioners to seek services for the buildings 40-year re-certification and make additional improvements to the interior of the building.
“These improvements are part of the CRA’s plans to redevelop portions of NW 2nd Avenue, specifically the Historic Folk Life Village into a cultural destination,” said Clarence Woods, SEOPW CRA Executive Director. “Our goal is to preserve the historical significance of these buildings by putting them back into adaptive re-use,” said Woods.
Commissioner Hardemon said, “Painting a mural on the “Old Clyde Killen’s Pool Hall” for Art Basel provides our community an opportunity to showcase Overtown’s rich history and culture by infusing into the CRA’s redevelopment efforts.”
The public is invited to participate in the painting of the community mural with local artist Chivas Davis and students from the Overtown Youth Coalition’s Art Program and attend the ground-breaking ceremony for the Clyde Killen’s Pool Hall. Paints and brushes will be provided. Volunteers are encouraged to arrive between 2:30p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
