Still a center of attention
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Surrounded by spiffy new housing and aging small businesses, the two vacant lots on either side of Dudley Street sit like open sores on the corridor between Uphams Corner and Dudley Square.
The neighborhood has struggled for years against economic depression, crime, and government apathy. But suddenly there are serious plans for the corner of Dudley and Clifton streets.
The late Joan Kroc, the
The donation, however, came with a catch - $30 million had to be raised privately before the $85 million could be tapped into to build the center.
That would be a healthy amount to raise in any environment, but is a particularly daunting task now, with the stock market in a shambles and even rich people closing their checkbooks.
That is where John Hamill comes in. The veteran banker has raised millions for charity and decided to make a civic mission of bringing a community center to Dorchester. He explained why earlier this week.
"I've seen the great work the Salvation Army does for people in dire need," he said. "There's nothing like this, which will really serve the entire community."
The envisioned facility will include everything from a senior center to a fitness center to space for performing arts. The smaller lot across the street would be devoted to sports. The notion is that - unlike a typical youth center - it will provide space for several generations to come together, for up to 16 hours a day. The planners believe the center would serve 1,000 people a day.
The idea of a community center near Dudley has been kicking around for years. Carlos Henriquez, board chairman of the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, said he recalled going to meetings as a kid 20 years ago to discuss the need for such a place. He said the neighborhood has been deeply involved in planning the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center.
"We've had dozens of meetings, and hundreds of people have attended them," he said. "I think this would be an incredible asset to the community."
Hamill said his group hopes to begin construction by October 2009, but that may be optimistic, given that they have raised about $10 million. "It's a difficult time, no question . . . but that doesn't mean that everything shuts down," he said. "This bad economic time will pass." Construction is expected to take about two years.
The Salvation Army operates Boys and Girls' clubs in other cities. They seem eager to expand their reach to Roxbury and Dorchester. Drew Forster of the Salvation Army said he believes the center could be a turning point for the area. "This is a wonderful next step in the revitalization of Uphams-Dudley," he said. "This is a natural next step for a community on the rise."
The site lies next to an MBTA commuter rail station that connects Uphams Corner to Hyde Park and the city. From the station's platform, the skyline is easily visible, with the Hancock Tower looming over everything, a reminder of how close Dudley Street and downtown really are.
The distant sight of the Back Bay has stimulated some thinking about what the center could become. Henriquez said one of the goals for the center is for youth in the neighborhood to figuratively and literally expand their horizons. "We want our kids to feel connected to that world."
Adrian Walker is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at walker@globe.com. 
