the city of shreveport were awarded a 250- thousand dollar choice neighborhoods planing grant. organizers are using that money to come up with a plan for revitalizing the allendale, ledbetter heights, and west end areas. ktbs 3's sara machi checks on the project's progres and finds out what further federal grant money could do for those neighborhoods. once the heart beat of shreveport's black comunity, the allendale neighborhod could soon be at the center of a massive transformation. aimed at restoring it to it's former glory. "when i grew up in that area, you had thriving black businesses, funeral hoes, glass companies, dentists, doctors along milam and various other strets in allendale- lakeside." the goal is to revitalize distressed areas like these into sustainable mixed- income neighborhoods with better housing centers, upgraded infrastructure, and more parks. "is gone through such a drastic change over the last 30 years. a huge decline in population in the area. a huge decline in property in the area. just the whole works." if shreveport wins further choice neighborhoods backing, the project will get 30 to 40 milion dollars to turn their blue prints to brick and mortar reality. competition is stiff for those big bucks but organizers say other large-scale projects in that area... like milenium studios and the shreveport commons only increase their ods of winning over hud head honchos. kim mitchel was involved early in the proposal process but now focuses alternative methods for community building. "when you realize things aren't working, you should just give up doing the things you've always done." because allendales's in a so- caled food desert. he works with residents to start community gardens and brings them together for neighborhood dinners. mitchell says it's a less expensive way of creating the friendly environment that attracts midle- income home buyers. whether by big- budget construction.. or small scale interactions... it's all in an effort to save this community, its strong cultural economy, and many historical sites. "you have so much cultural history in allendale- is that withign that overall dynamic, revitalization, would mena the world to that and it would realy breathe cultural diversity and energy into the city of shreveport." although the deadline is june 30th.. organizers want to get their proposal to the department of housing and urban development a litle early so they can make changes if they need to. downtown shreveport is no stranger to