The Pierce Street Gateway was incorporated in 2018 to promote Pierce Street as an historic neighborhood, educate the larger community on the neighborhood’s significance and to support the preservation of the neighborhood.

Recently the Pierce Street Gateway has taken dedicated steps to fulfill its mission by hosting guided tours of the historic district and establishing a community garden.

Our next major goal is to restore the Calloway store and create a museum and community hub to celebrate the famous and unsung heroes of the neighborhood.

The Pierce Street Gateway is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization that is supported by the leadership of its all- Volunteer Board and it's first Director, Dr. Ghislaine Lewis.

The Pierce Street Garden was established in 2021 as a partnership between the Pierce Street Gateway and Leadership Lynchburg's (Class 45) Team Big Hearts. The aim of the Pierce Street Community Garden is to help alleviate food insecurity in the Pierce Street neighborhood and beyond.

The garden hosts volunteers every Saturday morning and engages often with the neighbors. Generous time has been donated from the Center for Community Engagement at the University of Lynchburg, YWCA of Central VA, and many individuals and community partners.

The garden is located in a food desert and focuses on the principles of food security and eco-friendly, sustainable agriculture by incorporating education about the importance of renewable gardening into their Saturday volunteer sessions as well as on its social media platforms.

There is no membership or bed fee to harvest from the Pierce Street Community Garden and it is open to all who are in need.

One Hour Tour of Academy Center of the Arts with Geoff Kershner