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From the construction of significant structures in East St. Louis, such as the East St. Louis City Municipal Complex, the Mary Brown Neighborhood Center, the Medical Arts Building, the Mental Health Center of St. Clair County, multiple churches and schools including the Illinois State Community College, now known as the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Campus, the late prolific construction manager Janfrey Preston and his family have made an indelible mark on the City. 

The “Janfrey Preston Collection Exhibit: A History of Construction, Art and Community from a Native Son of East St. Louis” will be on display from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, Sept. 12-26 at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Learning Resource Center, located at 601 James R. Thompson Blvd. 

“My grandfather (Joseph Preston) and father were masters at their craft,” said Elise Mallory, daughter of Janfrey Preston and exhibit curator. “They did a lot for East St. Louis, including helping educate and employ Black craftsmen during a time when Blacks were not given many opportunities in construction.” 

After her father died on March 25, 2020, Mallory didn’t want Janfrey Preston and his family’s contributions to her hometown to become obscured or lost.  She also wanted to share her father’s talent as an artist with the public. 

“My father kept everything,” said Mallory. “I poured over volumes of records, blueprints, photos and more to produce this exhibit. Then there were pieces of wonderful art that my father created which are also part of the collection.” 

The first unveiling of the exhibit was Saturday, June 4 at one of the buildings that the Preston family helped to renovate, the East St. Louis Senior High School. 

“The exhibit was well received, and I wanted to reach even more people,” noted Mallory. “I am grateful to Gary Cruise, director of the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Campus, for allowing the exhibit to be displayed at the East St. Louis Learning Resource Center.” 

Janfrey Preston was born Jan. 13, 1939 in East St. Louis. He was the fifth oldest of six children of Joseph and Alberta Preston. Joseph Preston was a trained craftsman in construction and formed the Illinois Craftsman Association in 1932, which was an organization for Black journeymen. He also was president of Preston Contracting, and his company was one of the first Black construction businesses in the area, according to Mallory. 

“While my grandfather had built his house, his business did only re-modeling and renovation work. They did not build from the ground up,” said Mallory. “My father and uncles helped with the business when they were in high school.” 

After high school, Janfrey Preston attended the University of Illinois in Urbana, where he studied architecture for two years. 

“My dad then came home, because he was needed in the family business,” she added. 

In 1956, Dr. Edgar Woodson finally convinced Joseph Preston to build him a house. Then Preston Contracting changed its name to Preston Construction and began erecting other structures, under the direction and management of Mallory’s father, who became president of the company. 

Preston Construction grew and Janfrey began collaborating with another Black architect, Charles Truman Fleming, of FlemCo. Preston’s construction business dealings began to morph over time, and he became president of Preston & Associates and FlemCo. In his role within each company, significant projects for East St. Louis were built or remodeled and renovated under Janfrey Preston’s leadership. 

A partial list of landmarks and other buildings that Preston was instrumental in helping build or renovate include:

• Frazer’s Medical Office, 1401 Gaty Ave., 1963, Preston Construction
• Greater New Hope Church, 2240 Missouri Ave., 1963, Preston Construction
• East St. Louis Police Headquarters (basement), 301 Riverpark Dr., 1969, Preston Construction
• The Mary Brown Neighborhood Center, 606 S. 15^th, 1968-78, Janfrey Preston General Construction
• Lincoln High School (new addition), 1200 Bond Ave., 1971, Preston & Associates
• Mental Health Center of St. Clair County, 4001 State St., 1973, Preston & Associates
• SIUE East St. Louis Center, (remodel and renovations), 411 E. Broadway, 1976, Preston & Associates
• Illinois State Community College (Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Campus), 601 James R. Thompson Blvd., 1978, Jenkins-Fleming
• East St. Louis Municipal Complex, One Municipal Plaza, 1986, Fleming Corp.
• Lincoln High School Auditorium, Library, East Wing renovations, 1988, Fleming Corp. 

Photos:
(L-R): The late Janfrey Preston was the construction manager over many landmark buildings in East St. Louis and Elise Mallory, Preston’s daughter and exhibit curator. 

The Mary Brown Neighborhood Center. 

A building on the campus of Illinois State Community College, now known as Building B on the Wyvetter H. Younge Higher Education Campus.