History

The building fell on hard times in the 1980s and 1990s, and local citizens formed a not-for-profit corporation to save this important part of the town's history. They gave it new life as The Community Courtyard, a lovingly renovated gathering place for all occasions.

The Community Courtyard got its start in a round about manner. It began as a project to find a home for a community library but eventually that project created a unique and multipurpose facility that is an asset to Plattsburg and surrounding communities.

            The Friends of the Community was the name of the original citizens group, which formed in 1993 with the purpose of finding a permanent home for the Martha Haines Luckenbill Library. That community library had been in existence in the high school since 1978, but had to relocate because of crowded conditions. In the process of looking for funding to buy a building, The Friends investigated the Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP), a Missouri state tax credit program designed to aid communities with local projects.

The Friends learned that in 1994 NAP would give preference to applications from rural communities, and it would help fund those projects with 70 percent tax credits rather than the more typical 50 percent. That would be quite an incentive for donations. At the same time, The Friends learned that NAP would not fund a building project in which a library took up more than 25 percent of the floor space.

The Friends could have given up on NAP at that time. But it occurred to them that a library could share a building with other community service entities. Inquiries around town indicated that citizens felt a need for a community center to serve many functions, everything from rooms for meetings and banquets to public halls for theatrical presentations and dances. What's more, local service groups needed space. The Clothes Closet and Food Pantry needed a permanent home, as did GED and adult literacy classes.

The concept thus developed that The Friends--through NAP--could become the vehicle for Plattsburg acquiring a community center.

            The Friends, which became a 501(C) (3) corporation, applied to NAP in June, 1994, and receive $259,000 in 70 percent tax credits (meaning The Friends could fundraise $310,000 under NAP). That was one of the largest amounts of tax credits given to any rural project in Missouri and represented about 1/8 of all the 70 percent tax credits awarded in 1994.

When the old livery stable at the corner of 2nd and Maple came available, The Friends knew they had a suitable location for the community center. The building is one of the oldest in Plattsburg, with 15,000 sq. ft. of space on its two floors.

Crews started to work in the in the winter of 1994. Local crews, including Jim Hartzell, were aided by crews from Hallmark, Inc., which traded labor for tax credits.

            Two years of renovation converted the rundown stable into a showplace community center with an airy two-story atrium, a wide open second floor and meeting rooms and a courtyard on the first floor. Since its opening, the Community Courtyard has housed the local food pantry and a social service agency (Economic Opportunity Commission, which later changed its name to Community Action Partners). The building also has been home to the Clinton County Genealogical Society, GED classes, alcohol and drug rehabilitation classes, youth activities, public meetings, art fairs, baby contests and community dances. The Community Courtyard has hosted events for the Fall Festival, economic development groups and public meetings.

            The community library has yet to materialize. Voters have failed to pass a library tax, which would pay for books and staff and allow a library to pay rent for space in the Community Courtyard. Without that rent, the board has had to turn to event rentals to pay utility bills and insurance premiums as well as maintenance and upkeep on the building.

            The board in 2001 changed the not-for-profit organization’s name to The Community Courtyard. It still hopes the building will be home to a community library. But in the meantime, work on the building is not yet finished. The Board plans one day to finish a second floor kitchen, install an elevator and complete cosmetic features.