If you drive pass the shuttered Super 8 Motel at 6625 S. King Drive and see a young, black man waving at you from the roof don’t be alarmed it’s just Pastor Corey Brooks Sr.

 

Brooks, 43, is the pastor of New Beginnings Church, which is located across the street from the Super 8 at 6620 S. King Drive. And Nov. 23 marked the first day Brooks began sleeping in a tent on top of the motel's roof as he tries to bring awareness to his efforts to eliminate the violence and drugs that is destroying Chicago's Woodlawn community on the South Side.

 

“The Woodlawn community does not need anymore hourly motels. It needs jobs, after school programs for youth and economic development,” explained Brooks. “As a proud resident of the community I want our children to have a safe place besides home to go to after school. I want people to be able to shop in their own neighborhood at stores that offer quality merchandise and services and I want residents to be able to get the social services they need without being discouraged because they must travel far to receive help.”

So Brooks' goal is to stay on top of the roof sleeping until $450,000 is raised, which is needed to buy and demolish the transient motel previously used by a lot of prostitutes to service their customers. So until then he said he will remain on top of the roof with aspirations of redeveloping the site into a $10 million multi-purpose complex by December 2013. Upon completion, the site would include a private, elementary school, social service center, retail stores, and a youth educational center.

The church already has 75 elementary students attending its Master’s Academy School located inside the 2,500-member church, and plans to move the school into the Super 8 Motel after its redevelopment. This venture is part of the church’s Project HOOD (Helping Others Obtain Destiny), which aims to improve living conditions in the community.

At a recent news conference in front of the motel Alderman Willie Cochran, whose 20th ward covers the Woodlawn community, said he is 100 percent behind Brooks.

 

“This is a man of God and he brings blessings to those around him. He is a blessing to this community and I plan to do whatever I can to further his cause,” Cochran said. “The drug dealers and gang bangers out here destroying our community need to take notice that citizens like Brooks are not going to lay down and take it anymore.”

 

As a 20-year Woodlawn resident, a husband and father of four (22 years-old, 20, 16 and 10) Brooks told Exaimer.com it was hard being away from his family for the holidays but that his family understands what is at stake here.

“They know I am trying to do is save a community, which in turn could help save families. People need to know that we, at New Beginnings Church, is not about just talk but action,” Brooks added.

 

He pointed to the church’s successful campaign in 2007 against the Super 8 Motel. Members picketed daily standing outside the building calling those who patronized it “true sinners.” Eventually the motel closed leaving yet another abandoned building as an eyesore in the community.

Members will provide around the clock security and fresh clothes and food daily to Brooks. That’s good news to Ronald Holt, director of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy, who said he was concerned about Brooks’ safety.

“While the Chicago police do a pretty good job patrolling this immediate area there is always that concern of fear when one is attempting to do something like this,” said Holt. “Knowing his members will assist the police in ensuring pastor Brooks is protected makes me feel much better. I support what he is doing and I am willing to help anyway I can.”

 

Anyone attempting to scare or harm Brooks’ efforts will be dealt with swiftly, said Sandy Lewis, a spokeswoman for the Cook County State’s Attorney office.

“State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez could not be here today but wanted the community to know that she supports Pastor Brooks and will not stand for anyone illegally interfering with his peaceful efforts,” she said.