Theaster Gates’ “thoughtful care” in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood has prioritized place-making that centers the arts, beauty and culture.

For years, the work of his Rebuild Foundation has transformed abandoned buildings, creating the Dorchester Art+Housing Collaborative from a former public housing project and a garden space along Kenwood Avenue between 68th and 70th streets.

The shuttered St. Laurence Catholic Elementary School at 1353 E. 72nd St. reopened its doors last Sunday as the Land School, an arts incubator for artists. Gates rang a bell that once hung in St. Laurence Church, which was demolished in 2014, to welcome the community inside. The last time we saw the school was in 2021, when work was beginning.

Hugs, cheers and a call and response moment with dozens o

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