BATON ROUGE - After receiving a national grant, local groups are partnering with Build Baton Rouge to revitalize Plank Road. 

'Imagine Plank Rd' is one of their latest projects, and with help from several local organizations, work has already started. Their goal is to bring the area back to what it once was.

"I think 40 years ago it didn't look like this," said Karen Ewing, with Rebuilding Together Baton Rouge

Ewing has lived in the area for over 40 years. She says it's become almost unrecognizable over time. 

"It’s just slowly deteriorated from the migration of homeowners," Ewing said.

Their efforts to revitalize the community start with the EcoPark at the corner of Plank Road and Erie Road. 

LSU's landscaping department is still working on final mockups for the park. The design will include a garden, storm mitigation measures, a pavilion, and an art installation. Potential designs can be found on Build Baton Rouge's webpage. 

After the design is solidified, they expect it to be completed within a year.