About 100 people made their way to the center, located behind the historic Mt. Olive A.M.E. Church in Parole. They took tours of the facility that many hope will prove a catalyst to preserve the last major enclave of homes owned by African Americans in the city.

The crowd sat in the multipurpose room filled with tables, some nibbling on treats from the center's gleaming new commercial kitchen.

Most who spoke praised the partnership between the community and Greenberg Gibbons Commercial, developer of the rising Annapolis Towne Centre at Parole that pledged $2 million to build the center.

But all praised the dogged determination and persuasive powers of Mt. Olive's pastor, the Rev. Johnny Calhoun, for providing the driving force.

"I met Rev. Calhoun at the groundbreaking for Annapolis Towne Center," said Brian Gibbons, president of Greenberg Gibbons. "You see there is nothing open over there, but this is open over here. You see where the priorities are," he said to underscore the Rev. Calhoun's effect.

"I promise to continue our partnership ... in the years to come."

If all goes according to plan, the new facility soon will be abuzz with activity, expanded services to area youth, computer classes, a business incubator equipped to launch and aid growing home businesses and weddings and meetings.

It all started with an idea to expand an existing building next to the historic church in Parole to accommodate a growing after-school program and other community-minded efforts.

First funding came years ago with a $400,000 bond bill from the legislature.

Maryland Speaker of the House Michael E. Busch, D-Annapolis, spoke about the early impetus, after summing up what all those gathered were feeling - "This is a great day."

Mr. Busch recalled a committee meeting with Rev. Calhoun testifying on behalf of the bond bill for the project. "He went on a bit longer than usual and one legislator asked, 'Are you a reverend?' He said yes, and the committee said, 'Amen."

The audience laughed out of familiarity with the Rev. Calhoun's persuasive nature.

Robert DiPietro, development lobbyist and former state delegate and vice-chairman of the center's advisory board also testified to that power.

He said when they first met, the Rev. Calhoun was pushing the center.

"Four years later we are standing in this building. He is the only man I know who can sit in a room with developers, and after talking to them they are convinced the right thing to do is to go bigger."

But the reverend, instead , gave praise to all the others, legislators, contractors, Greenberg/Gibbons and especially his new friend, Brian Gibbons.

As if to prove the power of his persuasive pontification, he used tools to give praise for the effort.

"I thank the hammers, for hammering out this vision. I thank the screwdrivers for turning the screws to make sure this came together. I thank the scaffolding..." he said.

He pushed the notion that the new center, and all it might offer, is of, by, and for the greater community. "This is our building... a resource for the Parole and Annapolis community... this belongs to us," he said. "This is an example of what we can do when we all work together."

The bigger challenge, now that the building is up and funds are being sought to finish furnishing it, is to get programs up and running.

And that effort kicks off Sept. 2 with the center's Life Skills Academy after-school program for children ages 5 to 13. Registration begins Monday.