PALM BAY, Fla. — A phoenix has risen from the ashes in one Palm Bay neighborhood.
- Director hopes Evans Center becomes community cornerstone again
- Building dates back to early 1960s, when it was grocery store
- Revitalized building features deli, health clinic, meeting room
Once a flourishing community cornerstone that faded away, a building is now back, better than ever.
The lunch rush begins at the Evans Center deli on Florida Avenue. It's a place with hot food and warm greetings.
"There is a lot of conversation going around that surrounds the food," Evans Center Director LeAngela Aitken says.
There's also a health clinic and community room.
The deli, though, is the centerpiece.
"The food has been a big draw," Aitken says.
The property is enshrined in the lore of the Driskell Heights and Powells neighborhoods. The new building is named for Roosevelt "Ross" Evans, who opened a grocery store there in the early 1960s.
"He was a great innovator during that time, a real pillar in the community," Aitken says.
Above the supermarket, Evans built apartments. The area became a community gathering spot.
When Evans died in 1984, the property fell into disrepair. But the idea began to restore it to its former glory.
Neighbor Up Brevard bought it from the city of Palm Bay. Through community surveys, volunteers, and donations, the Evans Center was reborn and officially opened in March.
Now, through delicious eats, the community can come together again.
"What's going on here at the Evans Center is remarkable," Aitken says.
