St. Louis City Talk

Downtown St. Louis (the Neighborhood)

2011-12-29T12:33:00.000-06:00

Downtown (DT) is an official neighborhood of St. Louis. It is bound by the Mississippi River to the east, Tucker to the west, Chouteau to the south and Cole to the north, forming an almost perfect rectangle which serves as the welcome mat of our region:

The 2000 census data counted only 806 residents, a 6% decline from the 1990 count. 64% white, 28% black, 4% Asian and 2% Hispanic/Latino. The were 1,050 housing units, 65% occupied, 99% of which were rented. The decade from 2000-2010 was transformational for DT where a ~3X increase of residents occurred where now 3,721 people call DT home. Cheers to DT!!! Racial shifts occurred as well in the 2010 Census count: 54% white, 37% black, 5% Asian, 3% Hispanic/Latino. Downtown used to be a ghost town after business hours, but the influx of residents has made this a true neighborhood, and there are people walking around at all hours now, it's good to see. If downtown is to continue it's renaissance, more residents are required. We need to cater to St. Louisan's now instead of trying to cater only to tourists and daytime commuters as the city administrations have done for the past 50 years.

Downtown truly is the door step of the city. It's our face to the world. Ask someone about St. Louis and they'll probably say St. Louie...yeah, the Arch. For better or worse, DT defines the St. Louis metropolitan region as a whole. The DT experience is the St. Louis experience for many, if not most suburbanites, regional visitors, tourists and even some citizens of St. Louis. It's a fact that many in the region refer to the entire City of St. Louis as "Downtown"...so the stakes are high. A vibrant DT means a vibrant STL to most. A 3X gain of residents in Kings Oak will not have nearly the same impact as a similar gain in DT would...and for that, I'm optimistic for St. Louis' future for first impressions, etc. The historic tax credits have largely made this boost in residents happen, that and the growing trend of people wanting to live in cities. In spite of the cities free wheelin' issuance of demolition permits and lust for parking lots, many vacant warehouse, office and factory buildings have been transformed to lofts, apartments, condos, new office/retail space, etc. It's been an amazing transformation to witness. DT was dead in the 1980's. When I moved here in 1994, it was gritty and vacant and starkly surreal, like a mothballed outdoor museum for cool buildings. Now it's everything from gritty to swanky...yet still cool. It's been a damn good 20 years for DT St. Louis. Despite all the job and tax base poaching that Clayton, Missouri and other cities in the suburbs have done to St. Louis over the last 50 years, DT is still the Central Business District and must continue to lure business, jobs and residents if it's to stay on it upward trend.

Holy cow, where do I begin? This neighborhood challenged me to keep the # of photos under 200....a good problem to have, as Downtown St. Louis is highly attractive. You can take a picture of nearly every building along Washington, Locust and Olive, the heart of Downtown. Many think of Market Street as the premier street DT, and that's not a bad argument with City Garden, Kiener Plaza, the Old Courthouse, the beautiful Gateway Greening sponsored plantings, etc. Washington Avenue has arrived as a destination point and a popular place to live. But, I'll put my money on Locust and/or Olive Street with their intersecting numeric streets as the rising stars in the bright future of DT. These two streets are teeming with potential, especially right around the Old Post Office area.

DT also challenged me more than almost any to keep my mouth shut about the negatives. But, I decided to tune down the editorial filter and let a little more of my opinion get into this piece. So forgive me in advance if some anti-parking lot and demolition commentary are sprinkled into this lengthy post. DT is worth talking about the good, the bad and the ugly for a couple reasons: 1. DT is the most important part of our city, it's our heart; it can/should be the central business district (not Clayton, Missouri) 2. It is the best and worst of what our history has brought us...it's simply the single most important and discussion worthy talking point re: STL.

You may notice there is not a lot of fancy or artistic photography of the Arch, Busch Stadium-III or City Garden. I've tried man, and the stuff I'm proud of is personal and not for the interwebs. And, it's been done so much better than I could ever do, so what I've tried to do with those landmarks is just show what they look like from the surrounding streets....give the perspective of the walker/driver passing by on the streets.

Downtown St. Louis is a true beauty. Anyone that doesn't recognize this is off their rocker. Go to any other rust belt U.S. city, or any other city for that matter and tell me our DT isn't as beautiful as those. It is. Even with all it's insane lack of planning and leadership, excessive parking lots and endless catering to the commuter vs. the resident/citizen; it's still got the bones and makings of a very special place. Our forefathers built it to last, and you can still tell; it's just that a lot has changed since the city was a bustling place with street cars, shopping and commerce and people everywhere. But the good news is, people are moving back. And that alone is the primary thing that will make DT the vibrant place people want to see...other people who are there 24/7 and invested. We need more residents than Ball Park Villages, Bottle Districts, etc that cater to visitors. In many ways, DT is a microcosm of all things that truly embody St. Louis as a city. It's the good, the bad and the ugly. I'll do my best to show and talk about all three.

Let's start on the south side of the neighborhood between I-64 and Chouteau. The south eastern part near the river is referred to as Chouteau's Landing and it has amazing potential. Redevelopment ideas posed to date include an artist community with studios and loft dwellings. Another potential boon recently discussed for the south side of DT was the Arch competition that carefully proposed better connections between the Jefferson National Expansion Park and Arch grounds, but that plan will be scaled back and the logical and creative connections are likely not going to happen. This missed opportunity and lack of city leadership in the area of urban planning means the odds will continue to be stacked against Chouteau's Landing. This part of St. Louis is not a priority for the city, and has been sadly neglected since I've lived here. In the eyes of casual passers by on the Poplar Street Bridge (the highest traffic volume bridge between STL and Illinois) it is pretty much an eye sore and a high profile embarrassment. The thing is, the buildings in Chouteau's Landing are amazingly cool right around the Mississippi River. The area has huge potential but many of the buildings are covered in graffiti and abandoned and look pretty desolate from the highways...and the fact remains, this is how people judge us. Again, I'm one of those who thinks this is a really cool place, but the city's negligence can be overwhelming and tilt the scales to the negative pretty quickly. Anyhow, here are some sights of CL, you be the judge:

Public art can move mountains...or mountans

Mom always said there's no such thing as a free meal...but it never hurts to challenge conventional wisdom

We've got to make this part of DT and our city a priority before the firebugs and squatters burn the whole damn thing down and a part of our American industrial history is permanently erased once again.

If you are a fan of iron train trestles, you've got to explore Chouteau's Landing. There are many vantage points to get up close and personal with both passenger and freight trains:

There is something hypnotic and gritty and cool about hearing coal and grain role by overhead on these elevated tracks on walks to the baseball game. It's part of the city experience.

Another strong presence on the south side of DT is Purina, with it's familiar "checkerboard square" logo. The Ralston division of Nestle is headquartered in DT. The buildings are highly recognizable on the STL skyline throughout many parts of the city. This company has a long and rich tradition in St. Louis dating back to 1894 when it was founded by William H. Danforth. Purina entered into a merger agreement with Swiss firm Nestle back in 2001, but seems committed to STL as the campus is currently adding on a new building. In 1994, the Ralston human food operations of the Ralston Purina Company were spun off into a new company called Ralcorp Holdings. They also call DT home.

new construction on the Ralston campus

Very few modern corporate campuses are without surface parking lots. This one at least has great views of DT's skyscrapers.

Heading north along the Mississippi Riverfront is another abandoned, neglected mess. Sorry, it's true. The riverfront was once the key economic engine of St. Louis. It no longer is, and now we're left with a completely dead zone. I realize riverboats are no longer used and important to modern life/business. But can't we get some kind of historic remembrance of those days? It doesn't have to be cheezy, it doesn't have to be open, just a damn steamboat down there for Pete's sake. When I was a kid, there were at least things to do down here. There was a retired U.S. destroyer that you could tour, a casino in the former (insanely cool art deco Admiral (recently shuttered, destroyed and sold for scrap metal), a kitschy McDonald's on a faux riverboat (McBarge), and dinner cruises and other touristy things that this Belleville and other suburban kids thought was cool. Now there is nothing outside of maybe a helicopter deck. It's purposefully dead on the riverfront. Sadly, this is what tourists will remember about their exit ramp to see the Arch and St. Louis. A missed opportunity for sure. Here's what it looks like today:

Despite all the current day failures, you can't deny the power of the river and the potential that it holds as a place to visit and be and behold. There is soul in the hobby/scrapper fisherman that drink/fish for cat and buffalo along the banks and the Lewis and Clark (and Seaman) water gauge and monument just south of the Eads Bridge:

The bridges that span the Mississippi River between St. Louis and Illinois are enchanting. Minus the Bernard F. Dickman or as everyone in the area refers to as the Poplar Street Bridge or simply the PSB represents 1967 engineering ideals and the current American desire for only function and no form or beauty. No coffee table books on the ole PSB. This is as boring as a bridge can be. It piques no interest or second look on any level. The PSB embodies much of the St. Louis inferiority complex in that it's the most traveled, highest traffic volume bridge, and clearly the most boring. This kind of thinking brings us the countless demos of historic buildings for modern conveniences of not idling the family truckster and parking mere feet from your destination. The PSB:

The overwhelmingly good thing is, we have several other gorgeous, elegant bridges that span the greatest river in North America. The grandaddy of them all, the preeminent American bridge, the Eads Bridge is a work of art and function. This marvel of engineering and art and creativity and forward thinking has been in operation since 1874. It is all that is great about St. Louis and America. It currently accommodates pedestrian, auto and Metrolink traffic. It is one of the most beautiful bridges anywhere in America. If you consider yourself a St. Louisian, you need to walk the deck of the bridge and take in the River, the strange images of neglect and big ticket hope that is the East St. Louis casino'd expanse and the sweeping, fantastic skyline of St. Louis.

The MacArthur train bridge just south of the PSB took 10 years to build and opened to automobile surface traffic in 1917. It was swapped with the Eads by the Terminal Railroad Association in 1989 to usher in the newest era for Eads and MacArthur. Thanks to our early 20th century forefathers for thinking about beauty as well as function. These structures add to our landscape and make St. Louis a place not just a fly through/over zone:

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bridge (formerly Veteran's Bridge) was built in 1951 and once carried the U.S. Mother Road Route 66 through St. Louis. So did the Chain of Rocks bridge in the Riverview Neighborhood of St. Louis. It's a great example of a cantilever truss bridge:

And one more magnificent addition is on its way in 2015:

photo source

The footings and approaches of this new bridge that will re-route I-70 off the PSB and through DT are taking shape as of this post. Hopefully this bridge will be lit and will provide another gem to our skyline and bring some development into the north side of St. Louis.

Just west of the riverfront is the Arch and Laclede's Landing: a destination for visitors, but sadly not a frequent stop for locals. At least, I know of very St. Louisan's who say "hey, meet me down at the landing"!

The Arch grounds are rarely a draw for locals save for the occasional jogger, a July 4th celebration and a handful of summer concerts. Since October, 1965 it's become St. Louis' greatest symbol. It's grounds and surroundings could be a true asset to the residents of DT and the citizens of St. Louis if it were more connected to the rest of the neighborhood/city. However, the Arch grounds are a disaster to get to on foot and the access points are clumsy and dangerous. The elevated interstate highway lanes are an ominous obstacle for anyone living or visiting downtown.

Nonetheless, the Arch is a striking testament to public art and engineering feats and a strong mid-century America hellbent on modernism. It's the first thing most people think of when they think of St. Louis...the Cardinals might be next...

Although Laclede's Landing is not a local draw, it certainly is a tourist/visitor draw. And frankly, it's a great little spot with cobblestone streets, beautiful buildings, mature street trees and dim street lights that all come together to make it a charming enough tourist spot. The MLK and Eads Bridges frame the area quite nicely and the Mississippi River provides a quiet backdrop. Sadly, with the closing of Mississippi Nights, there's really no reason for most locals to go down there. I would love to go to Morgan Street Brewery more often, but it's a logistical nightmare for locals to get down there. It doesn't have to be this way as its St. Louis architecture in and out:

Legendary St. Louis rapper Nelly has teamed up with Vatterott College to open the Extreme Institute, a 9000 sq ft recording acedemy to teach students all facets of the recording industry. Fantastic, congrats to Nelly for his continued support of his hometown.

One of the newest additions to Laclede's Landing is the Laumier Casino. This sleek, modern high rise can be seen throughout the region. There is a LED lighted strip that lines the building in a lucky 7 shape that illuminates the night and adds to the vibrancy of DT, many refer to it as the glow-hawk.

Downtown is well connected to the Metrolink light rail transit system of St. Louis. It has 4 stops in DT including the Arch/Laclede's Landing, the America's Center (convention/Rams stadium), 8th and Pine and the Cardinals stadium. My favorite stop on the entire line is the 8th and Pine underground stop. It's very big city to run down the stairs and hop on the train. Here's what it looks like from the street:

Do you like professional sports? Why not walk or ride the Metrolink to Busch Stadium-III or the Edward Jones Dome to watch the 2011 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals or the St. Louis Rams who both call Dowtown home. (The Blues play hockey in the Downtown West neighborhood).

The Edward Jones Dome is connected to the America's Center convention complex. It skirts the north end of DT.

The St. Louis Cardinals also call DT home and currently play in Busch Stadium-III built in 2006. The Cardinals have won 2 World Series pennants in the new stadium. The Cardinals #1 rival, the Chicago Cubs have yet to win a pennant in their new stadium Wrigley Field...they started playing there in 1916. Sorry, I had to point that out. The Cardinals are the biggest sports draw in the region. They are wildly popular and most St. Louisan's have baseball in their blood. I am no different, the warm sound of baseball coming through an A.M. radio tuned to KMOX in the summer is among my fondest memories. People love baseball here...it goes without saying. Here's the current home of the Cards:

Looks like we need to add 2011...Woo Hoo!

The stadium is nice enough, although Busch-II was just fine as well. The bummer is the Cardinals current ownership has done little to nothing to spur development in the immediate surrounding areas of the stadium. It is an utter dead zone devoid of any possible street life on a non home game (meaning 284 days per year). The Cards have made many promises to date, but have delivered on none of them.

Just to the north of Busch-III is what the ownership of the Cardinals called "Ball Park Village", it was billed as a mixed use development to help sell the city and fans and residents on public subsidies and demolition of the perfectly fine Busch-II. Of course, the Cardinals didn't promise on their commitments to St. Louis and have hemmed and hawed on why they haven't built ballpark village all the while making tons of money. Here's what the current site looks like, the current ownership's thank you note to the city and its 3 million annual loyal fans who even in a down economy support the team in droves:

Not only has the millionaire ownership group denied St. Louis it's promises of BPV, it has left us, the residents and lovers of St. Louis with a surface parking lot, a mosquito pit of a property with half-assed softball fields which no one can use because it's surrounded by cheap hurricane fence. The current Cards ownership group also let the bowling hall of fame go to pot and pack up for all places of Arlington, TX. The St. Louis region was once a power house of bowling. Here's current president of the Texas bowling hall of fame and majority owner Bill DeWitt's words on the issue:

“It was difficult passing on the opportunity to be a part of Ballpark Village, especially because the Cardinals and Cordish Companies are innovative companies with proven track records. We are confident that Ballpark Village will be a great success and an important part of downtown St. Louis.”said Pat Ciniello, president of the International Bowling Museum/Hall of Fame.

“We’re very grateful to the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame for being a wonderful neighbor and partner throughout the years. We wish them well in Arlington,” said St. Louis Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III. “As for Ballpark Village, this acquisition completes our land assembly process, and represents another key milestone for the project.” (source)

The former HOF still sits empty:

The Cards are such a great part of the city's history, but they could be so much better corporate partners with the city in general in current times. The area surrounding the ballpark is a complete dead zone. Nothing but surface parking and parking garages that suck the soul and life from the neighborhood. Wrigley Ville, Fenway this is not. I wish it were a better experience around the ballpark but you'd be lying if you didn't call a spade a spade. There are a handful of bars around the stadium, but they sit among acres of parking:

There are some fantastic examples of historic reuse and urban transport just west of the stadium in the Cupple's Warehouse area, but much of it lies in wait for reuse and is under imminent threat of collapse from ownership neglect and city ambivalence and lack of drive. The rehabs that have occured in Cupples Station are perfect backdrops for the stadium setting to the west of the metrolink stop:

Another gem of a building is the art deco Tums factory, just east of the ballpark. This is one of my favorites in the entire city:

Another prominent building just east of the ballpark is the curious example of Brutalism architecture in the former PET milk headquarters, now apartments, built in 1969:

The west side of Downtown lines Tucker Boulevard, or 12th Street. The court houses in the western edge of DT are prominent fixtures on the skyline:

Tucker has been closed just north of Washington Avenue for many years. The bridge is being rebuilt and will be an important connector to the new Mississippi River Bridge.

Here are some of the buildings along Tucker:

This beauty above is a city parking garage and firehouse.

^This eye sore was ANOTHER parking garage ushered in by no other than the City of St. Louis right across the street from the other parking garage. Why? No one knows. There are boarded up bays at street level that were billed as potential retail sites, but that never happened.

There is an overwhelming glut of parking lots and garages downtown that sucks the life from the town and makes for inconsistent, iratic streets and walkways. I won't go on and on about this, but it's a serious failure on the part of the city. No planning or zoning gets you this. And it sucks and we continue to PAY the price.

Now, there is a parking garage near Macy's that I admire for the ramps:

Okay, you get it. I've made my points about excessive parking lots and mindless destruction of historic buildings for more parking lots. The overwhelmingly good news is, Downtown St. Louis has some of the greatest turn of the century building stock in the whole nation. It's coming back to life and there are businesses popping up that cater to residents not just tourists. The opening of Schnucks Culinaria grocery store was huge. A book store, a bowling alley, a bike store, a revamped Macy's all add to the neighborhood. There are countless restaurants, bars and night clubs. There's a lot going on and it's a fun place to be.

There are details and nuance on nearly every building:

Market is the center street of St. Louis and there are some really cool sites along here including the amazing City Garden, a welcomed addition that is not only a visitor/tourist draw but a fantastic space that residents and citizens of St. Louis go to enjoy the art and landscape. The water features are whimsical and draw kids from all over the city to splash and play in the summer months. It's really a special place. The pictures don't do it justice.

The Gateway Mall, the stretch of "green space" along Market was created to bring some nature and park space to the city's core. It kind of succeeds, and the City Garden certainly does, but the block immediately west of City Garden was reserved for a big steel panel triangle sculpture called "Twain" by renowned artist Richard Serra. It's a love/hate thing. I would love it at Laumier Sculpture park (an expansive suburban outdoor sculpture park) but I hate it hear. It's creates nothing but a dead zone in what could be a great place.

Some other familiar sights along Market through DT:

The Wainwright Building is a must see and is in my personal Top 10 St. Louis buildings. It's at 709 Chestnut and is a stunning masterpiece:

The Wainwright Building is among the first skyscrapers in the world. It was designed by Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan in the Palazzo style and built between 1890 and 1891.^[3] It was named for local brewer, building contractor, and financier Ellis Wainwright (source)

Hey, I'm not alone in my love for this place, here's what Frank Lloyd Wright had to say: "the (Wainwright Building is the) very first human expression of a tall steel office-building as Architecture." Not too bad, eh?

Today this treasure stands proudly in the shadow of City Garden.

And this elegant building feels like the perfect segue way to the other classics downtown.

Here are some general shots of the street scenes and buildings in the heart of DT along Locust, Olive and Washington:

The area around the Old Post Office is among the coolest in town.

Big city for sure:

There's more where that came from...I could go on and on...and there's much that I missed or didn't include here. The upside potential of DT is amazing, go check it out for yourself!

The Central West End Neighborhood

2011-10-24T19:00:00.026-05:00

The Central West End is a St. Louis neighborhood bound by Delmar Boulevard to the north, I-64 and Lindell Boulevard to the south via Kingshighway, Vandeventer to the east and Kingshighway and Union Boulevard via Lindell to the west:

The 2000 census counted 14,144 residents (4% decline from 1990s count) of whom 56% were white, 36% black, 5% Asian and 2% Hispanic/Latino. 9,572 housing units were 89% occupied, 26% by owners and 74% by renters. The Central West End was one of a handful of central corridor neighborhoods that actually gained residents in the 2010 Census count (2% increase). Racial counts from the 2010 Census yielded 58% white, 28% black, 11% Asian and 3% Hispanic/Latino. Metro advocates are quick to point out that most neighborhoods increasing in population in the 2010 count were along the Metrolink lines. It certainly can't hurt in attracting residents and this IS the most traveled station on the Metrolink system (source):

Central West End is a St. Louis MetroLink Station, located in the Central West End at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Children's Place. This station services the Washington University Medical Center, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis Children's Hospital, and St. Louis University High (by crossing the pedestrian bridge that spans the highway). Bus connections at this station are located in the new Central West End Metrobus Center, adjacent to the platform and is accessible via lighted walkway at the east end of the platform. The MetroBus Center is located on the ground level of the Barnes-Jewish staff parking garage. All bus routes that serve the Central West End Transit Center, which is accessible on a lighted path from the east end of the platform. This is the most traveled station in the St. Louis Metrolink system.

CWE is arguably St. Louis' greatest, most vibrant neighborhood. It's got so much to offer that almost any right-minded city lover would desire to call the CWE home. Geez where do I start?

How about the location? CWE has direct proximity to Forest Park, easy access to I-64, the previously mentioned Metrolink/MetroBus access, a world-class hospital complex, multiple independent and chain restaurants, independent shopping/galleries, bars, mixed architecture, civilized movie theatre, public library branch, walkable streets, mid-century mod buildings, history, economic/racial/ethnic diversity, you name it....CWE has it all. It's the perfect neighborhood for a date night, a must-stop on visitor tours of St. Louis and a great spot for lunch/dinner or a snack before heading to Downtown, Forest Park or many of the other nearby draws of Grand Center, Midtown Alley, etc. The presence of Barnes/Jewish, Children's Hospital and Washington University Medical School also make this a powerhouse employment area.

Secondly, this neighborhood is abuzz with pedestrians and street activity. It's a great place to people watch. No other neighborhood in St. Louis can match the big city feel. Downtown is coming close, so is Downtown West. But for now, I'm of the opinion that you can't top the CWE for the true "big city" experience. And in a town of only ~320,000 people, I think you'll be quite impressed.

This is one of those neighborhoods that you could take scads of photos on each and every block. There's so much beauty, architecture and charm here, it's overwhelming. As a result, I'm going to break this neighborhood into three parts as it's huge in overall area.

The first will be the westernmost chunk between Lindell, Kingshighway, Delmar and Union.

This part of the neighborhood is largely residential. Some of the biggest and most beautiful mansions in the entire city are here. One of the most scenic stretches of east-west road runs right along the northern edge of Forest Park on Lindell Boulevard. Old growth trees and landscaped mansions line the northern edge of Lindell from Kingshighway to Union, and the best urban park in the nation lines the southern edge of Lindell. Most of these streets in and out of Lindell in the CWE are clearly marked as private with no trespassing. Sadly, on my visit today, it was being enforced; so you won't see many pictures of these stately homes on private streets. Here are a few examples of the homes lining Lindell:

Union Boulevard from Lindell to Delmar is a nice stretch as well. The ornate gates of the DeBaliviere Place neighborhood line the western edge of Union. The eastern side has some awesome apartments and homes as well. The streets of CWE are largely lined with old growth trees providing shade, color and life to its streets, thus making photography a challenge, so I'll apologize for some rough shots. Union Boulevard:

Heading north on Kingshighway with an eye toward the west side is a pleasure as well....at least until you get to Delmar, but I'll get to that in a minute. From the ornate gates of Westmorland and Portland Place to the churches and chapels, Kingshighway in the CWE is a sight to behold.

Heading north on Kingshighway to Delmar, you make a left and head west toward Union. This is where the reminder occurs that you are in a city that has lost 500,000 people in 50 years. Even in the swankiest of neighborhoods Delmar tends to be the gateway to years of disinvestment and neglect. Heading west on Delmar from Kingshighway, many of the homes and businesses have been razed leaving vacant holes such as these:

The corners at Delmar and Kingshighway are pretty unsightly with fast food joints and largely vacant cinder block strip malls that do their best to cheapen the look of this classy neighborhood.

But there are certainly exceptions along Delmar including some still-standing old homes, a shuttered filling station with much potential for re-use, a funeral home and the Third Degree Glass Factory which occupies some very cool buildings:

Back to the overwhelmingly positive elements....the homes in this part of the CWE are elegant and mixed well with apartments and condos. Congrats to all those who care enough to invest in and maintain these relics:

Check out the copper flashing on the apex of this St. Louis classic...damn I love this town:

The backsides of some properties, many with butler's quarters, are as attractive as the fronts:

CWE is exclusive for sure...to own a home...but living here is highly attainable as there are affordable (and no less classy) apartments all over with reasonable rents. The census data indicate that ~70% of CWE'ers are renters:

This part of the CWE is largely residential; hence, not as vibrant as the eastern parts of the hood, but man is it pastoral and beautiful. There are amenities like schools and churches and some small businesses, but again, what you get here is quiet, beautiful urban spaces.

For example, the New City School has renovated a classic former school building that is built right into the fabric of the neighborhood and has anchored a part of the neighborhood that at one point was completely neglected and falling apart. Now it's a true site to behold with lots of current upgrades underway as of my visit. This school was started by CWE residents back in the late 60s/early 70s:

In 1971, the School’s founders purchased our “friendly castle” at the corner of Waterman and Lake Avenues. The building, built to house Mary Institute in 1901 and later serving as Lutheran High School, had been sitting vacant for years. Again, New City School served as an important anchor in the Central West End with the purchase and incremental renovation of this landmark building.(source)

This is one handsome educational setting:

There are other signs of noticeable residential pride and hard work as little pocket gardens and plantings line many of the public areas throughout this neck of the CWE.

Cheers to all the good people who maintain this area and help keep it the regional draw that it is. Sometimes we forget how big an investment in time and money people make to live in St. Louis. These old homes are not cheap to purchase and maintain. It's as much a labor of love as it is to renovate a bombed out shell in an up and coming neighborhood. Sure, the upper crust are buying homes here; but they are sometimes overlooked by the urban warriors in other neighborhoods. They could easily pack it up and take the easy (Wildwood) route. People who live here seem as committed to city living as anyone fighting it out in other/lesser neighborhoods.

One of my favorite scenes in the entire city is from the Steinberg Ice-rink in Forest Park. If you turn around to face the CWE to the east on a chilly winter night you'll be provided a view of the city lights and skyline of the CWE. That leads us to the second chunk of neighborhood which is the northern part between Lindell, Kingshighway, Delmar and Vandeventer.

This is the CWE that I think most people in the region identify with as it has most of the restaurants, entertainment and easily recognizable institutions.

The Chase Park Plaza is a familiar place for most St. Louisans at Lindell and Kingshighway:

The Chase was former host of Wrestling at the Chase, The Miss America Pageant, performances by the Rat Pack, Bob Hope and many others. I remember Wrestling at the Chase broadcast on Sunday mornings on KPLR-11. For those who are old enough to remember, I give you this flashback:

I found this tasty photo here

The Chase is still a swanky hotel among other things, with bars, restaurants, a multi-screen movie theater, etc. It's a St. Louis classic.

The building that sits directly east is being renovated as luxury apartments and has been re-branded as the York House. This used to house the amazingly unique KPLR Channel 11 TV station. The station still exists, but left St. Louis and moved to programming as bland as its suburban location. Here's to new life for a historic place!

The Schlafly Branch of the St. Louis Public Library is just east of the Chase:

Lindell Boulevard, which runs right through the middle of the neighborhood is one of St. Louis' finest stretches of east-west streets. It is an interesting mix of mid-century modern, 60's curiosities, high rises, and unfortunately some suburban styled strip malls and fast food joints. It will be interesting to see if Lindell will continue to take hits such as the suburban malls and the loss of the curious San Luis Apartments (former DeVille Motor Hotel)...now a (take a guess) surface parking lot. A dedicated group of concerned citizens spoke out and protested over the planned demo of this building and the church's lust for more surface parking. They lost out to the powers that be, and now you have a cheap looking dead zone/parking lot in one the most high profile streets in the city.

From this:

To this:

A pocket park was added to the parking lot to make the bitter pill a little easier to swallow:

But don't get me wrong, Lindell is really cool and has some good examples of modern infill. Here's some stuff you'll see on Lindell through the CWE:

The Cathedral Basilica is a work of art. It took nearly 80 years to complete. Ground breaking was on May 1st, 1907 and the final touches were done in 1988:

Rosati-Kain, a private all girls high school has been at Lindell and Newstead since 1922:

Restaurants are housed in many interesting places, with equally nice outdoor dining settings:

New condos and apartments are common as this is a highly desirable place to live:

Olive is an awesome street as well through the CWE. There are more vacant buildings than Lindell; but the potential to be a future signature street is there. Signs of much renovation and life exists on the eastern section of Olive including a boxing gym, a wine bar and the renovated Field School which is now apartments:

The stretch of Olive west from Taylor is brimming with huge potential. So far Bowood Farms is among the first to invest in the transformation of this part of Olive. Here's what it looks like:

This nice reuse of older buildings came with somewhat of a cost as a building was razed to make way for a surface parking lot. 2 steps forward, one step back right?

Here are some of the cool properties between Taylor and Bowood Farms, imagine the potential of this strip:

The western edge of Olive ends at Washington Blvd. with these angled homes and the Samuel Kennedy pocket park.

Another prominent area within this part of the neighborhood near Boyle and Olive was once called Gaslight Square. This was the hub of St. Louis entertainment and cool from the 1950's through the 1960's. All that's left are a couple signs commemorating the era. There's a lot of good info here, take a look:

Apparently, the joints got pretty seedy and of course the idea was to close up shop, then let the buildings rot in neglect and then of course knock em down and build some new homes. Sound familiar?

Yet, the streets in this part of the neighborhood are lined with beautiful trees and the new homes look pretty nice.

But we lost a lot of our heritage, history and cool with Gaslight Square. VanishingSTL did a fantastic 2 part series on Gaslight Square. Read here and here. And there is an impressive photo gallery here. Here are some shots of what used to be.

Today, the area looks like this:

Moving on to Delmar, there are a lot of cool old buildings, mostly vacant and a lot of open space due to demos:

But what really makes this part of town standout is the cohesive shopping, dining and entertainment near and around Euclid, which serves as the heart of the CWE:

The older homes, apartments, condos and general spaces are beautiful in this part of town:

Pretty nice, eh? As in the westernmost part of the CWE, there are many gated, private streets. So, many of the most elegant homes are not featured here.

Some opportunities for great spaces and infill exist within the residential areas:

The third chunk of neighborhood is the southern part between Lindell, Kingshighway, I-64 and Vandeventer.

In many respects, this is the working part of the Central West End, with the huge hospital complex, the Central Institute for the Deaf, Resale Row (Goodwill, St. Vincent DePaul, Salvation Army outlets, etc on Forest Park Blvd.), light industry/distribution, research and development incubators, world class biotech firms and a successful magnet school (Stix Early Childhood Development).

Barnes-Jewish, Children's, Washington University Medical School:

The Cortex research facility is a great example of sleek modern architecture, built to the street with parking hidden in the back.

Solae also has a really attractive set of buildings in this part of the CWE:

And some other miscellaneous light industry and distribution both past and present:

You know it's gotta be fun to work here...sad sacks need not apply:

Central Institute for the Deaf:

Stix Early Childhood Development:

There are plenty of retail and entertainment establishments in this part of the neighborhood as well:

And plenty of residential both new and old, from high rises to lofts to efficiencies to homes:

Check out the roof top garden on this one:

Vibrant, successful, thriving, bustling...the Central West End has it all!

The Baden Neighborhood

2011-09-15T20:44:00.000-05:00

Baden is a north St. Louis neighborhood located east and south of the city limits (Riverview Boulevard), north of Calvary Cemetery and west of Hall Street:

Check out the roundabout at the convergence of Goodfellow, Halls Ferry, Riverview, and Lewis and Clark Blvd; it reminds me of the Tempest screen. There just aren't that many roundabouts in St. Louis, but this one is very cool. The St. Louis County cities of Bellefontaine Neighbors and Jennings abut Baden to the north and west.

Baden became part of St. Louis in 1876, but was never incorporated as a city prior to that date. It has the distinction of being a north side residential neighborhood that had a GAIN in population at 3% in the 2000 Census count. However, that momentum was not sustained from 2000-2010 when Baden lost 14% of its residents. The 2010 Census data showed the racial demographics of 92% black and 6% white. St. Louis continues to take a beating in loss of residents. People are voting with their feet and Baden, like nearly all neighborhoods, felt that sentiment.

The welcome mat to Baden, visible from Broadway

I had the privilege of a guided tour of Baden by one of St. Louis' finest firemen. He was able to show me around and point out some of the more unique areas of Baden. I'll get to those in a minute.

To me Baden is mostly known for it's almost completely intact business district along a cool stretch of Broadway from Switzer Avenue to Halls Ferry Road. This northern stretch of Broadway along with the southernmost stretch that goes through the Patch and Carondelet are simply brimming with potential and possibilities for a 21st Century rebirth.

This sign warrants contemplation..."I'll take the gold genie looking one on the second shelf and the 4'x6' velvet Elvis"

If anyone has a photo of this sign in it's original state, please email me!

The bones are obviously there and lie (hopefully) temporarily mummified in a thin layer of patina waiting for those who want to stay here or more importantly, move to St. Louis and work hard and invest their time and money in the rebirth of the city. This part of town could easily add to St. Louis' resume as the premier brick city in the U.S.A.

Broadway ain't all charm and good design though. The 1980's descended on Baden and took a big dump and then packed it up and left this:

When will we learn that strip malls don't generally work in urban areas and this crap belongs in the burbs? We destroy tasteful architecture, history and workmanship for this? What will happen to this property now?

The largest city park serving Baden residents is David Hickey Park named in honor of the first St. Louis member of the Expeditionary Forces killed in the World War (source).

Baden has the feel of another neighborhood on the verge of stability vs. decline. It will be a good harbinger of thing to come for St. Louis as a whole. Are we headed toward better days, or still getting closer and closer to rock bottom? We'll have to use the census data in 2020 to judge whether the downward spiral of people packing it up continues. For now, Baden has the feel of a stable neighborhood, but not without challenges.

Outside of the Broadway business district, Baden is largely home to many mid-century modern buildings and homes. I guess I was expecting older, turn of the 20th Century homes. But that's not really the case. And if you are a fan of mid-century apartment complexes, you better get there and check them out, because many are coming down:

Some of the typical home styles in Baden:

There are scads more of the above examples, built in the 1940's to 1960's. Some others:

Check out the front yards in the next 2 shots...hey we are the Mound City, right?

Now let me get to some of the more unique sites in Baden. I probably never would have discovered some of these had it not been for my well informed tour guide with an eye for Baden-nuance.

Let's start with the houses on the train tracks. There are homes with front yards that contain railroad tracks just feet from the front doors.

Check out the makeshift elevated bumps between the tracks for easier crossing:

Then there are these homes built at a curious 45 degree angle from the street:

How about the pastoral Gast Place:

Gast Place suddenly transforms into one of the weirdest multi-unit complexes in the entire city:

Check out this sign marking an "unimproved street":

As it was explained to me, the house numbering system on the city grid typically increases in # as the streets run east/west from the Mississippi River and north/south with Market Street as somewhat of a centering point. Due to the strange topography of Baden: somewhat hilly, somewhat askew from the typical grid, there are some curious anomalies in the house numbering conventions. See what I mean in the next 2 homes which sit side by side yet are not ordered as such:

Looks pretty routine right, but the street numbers suggest the nuance, 1219 sitting right next to 8312:

Baden doesn't seem to share nearly as much in common with the other St. Louis residential neighborhoods that were built out longer ago. It reminds me more of an annex of Bellefontaine Neighbors. There are some churches, etc that do harken back to the classic St. Louis styles:

Baden is one of St. Louis' finest neighborhoods. The commercial district, proximity to the River and the Riverfront Trail make it a highly desirable place.

The Greater Ville Neighborhood

2011-08-12T07:24:00.000-05:00

The Greater Ville is a north St. Louis neighborhood bound by Marcus Avenue on the west, Natural Bridge Avenue on the north, Dr. Martin Luther King and St. Louis Avenues via Taylor and Sarah to the south and Vandeventer Avenue to the east:

The 2000 census counted 8,189 residents (27% decline from 1990) of whom 99% were black. There were 4,221 housing units that were 76% occupied, split 49%/51% owner/renter. Another whopping 24% packed it up and moved as the 2010 census counted only 6,189 residents. Brutal flight by any measure. You know what though, the scene was pretty active on my ~3 hour visit. There are a lot of people still living here, just lot and lots of fallow ground...many gaps of missing teeth in what was once a beautiful smile. I can only imagine what the Greater Ville must have been like when this was a bustling, successful neighborhood.

This seems to be another neighborhood with an identity crisis, it could simply be called the Ville, no? In fact, the neighborhood link on the city website does link to the Ville's site for information.

This has got to be one of the most neglected and struggling parts of town. I love it here and hate it here all at the same time. I can't sum it up in writing how I feel when I read about the great history of places like the Ville and then go visit them and see the overwhelming decay and negativity.

Here are some words from 4th Ward Alderman Samuel Moore on the subject of the Greater Ville as a once thriving black neighborhood:

“We had black educators at the Sumner campus and Turner schools. We had the Tandy Community Center, a hotel, dentists and doctors, hamburger places, shoe repair shops, a store on every corner and several movie theaters,” Moore recalled. “It was a pretty vibrant community. We never had to leave the area to be serviced.”

During the years of restrictive segregated housing and education, the Ville was a solid black community. Thriving institutions like Sumner High School, Antioch Baptist Church, the Annie Malone Children’s Home, and Homer G. Phillips Hospital provided the neighborhood with robust economic activity and senses of safety, pride and stability.

Homer G. Phillips Hospital, Moore said, was the economic engine of the neighborhood. “That’s where most of the jobs were.” The closing of the hospital in the late 1970s signified the neighborhood’s eminent decline. (source)

I will show examples of the aforementioned "eminent decline" and delinquency as well as try to highlight some of the positive developments. And for the record, most of the institutions he's talking about are not in the Greater Ville, rather the Ville. Hey don't blame me, I didn't draw the boundaries of the current 79 neighborhoods...I'm just following the city's designations.

Anyhow, let's start with the positives to help illustrate the point that no matter how bad the recent history and current state of affairs...preservation and dignity are possible with a lot of gumption, workmanship and money.

You've got to start with Dick Gregory Place as the prime positive in the Greater Ville.

There is an excellent write up from a 2008 VanishingSTL article with the title "Dick Gregory Place on the Brink of Devastation" and then an updated story from April, 2011 titled "Resurrection on Dick Gregory Place". The differences are a testament to the fact that no matter how bad things get, there can be a saving grace with the dedication, time, money and ambition. The Greater Ville and many other neighborhoods in St. Louis need this kind of investment and fast if we're ever to turn the tides of massive population losses seen here (4,211 people lost in 20 years). Many old homes are being tastefully rehabbed and new side walks and other infrastructure being added.

Here's the handsome corner building that will frame the area quite nicely at Marcus Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd:

A couple other bright spots for hope are reported in the excellent Northsider, again with quotes from 4th Ward Alderman Samuel Moore:

Other projects coming soon will further fuel the momentum of revitalization, Moore said. Plans are underway for a new minimall, a Barber and Beauty College, an apple orchard, the construction of new Masonic Temple and a Homer G. Phillips College of Osteopathic Medicine. More said he’s also working to bring a major grocer and bank to the 4th Ward.

A major grocer would be HUGE for this area as the options are limited to mostly junk food snack shops and liquor stores. One of the obvious and unfortunate by-products of run down neighborhoods is the lack of access to affordable, healthy foods. The Greater Ville is a good example of a food desert; so talk of a "major grocer" would be great for the area. An apple orchard? Very interesting. I could not find this orchard and the 3 people I spoke to on the street had no idea where this was going in or is if it even exists. This is my best guess, but don't hold me to it:

Another sign of positivity is around Lincoln Avenue and Bishop P.L. Scott Avenue. There are rows of newer homes that are pridefully maintained and there were a lot of people out and about in this section of the Greater Ville.

Part of this new development built in 2003 is in memorial to Monsignor John A. Shocklee, a community leader, here's a memorial to his life's work:

There are other newer homes sprinkled throughout the neighborhood filling in some of the many gaps:

Say what you will about new construction, I know it's not awe inspiring and probably won't stand the test of time, but it certainly provides for some of the most stable, pridefully maintained stretches of the neighborhood.

Yet, clearly new construction is not the silver bullet as some of these said places are already abandoned and boarded up:

Outside of the major improvements around the southwestern edge of the neighborhood, and some stretches of newer homes, you won't find much else going on except formerly proud homes and businesses in various states of decay. I've used the saying "going, going, gone" before to describe neighborhoods in as bad of shape as the Greater Ville. I'll sadly use it again as even the beautifully maintained and cared for stretches of homes are within eye shot of boarded up or crumbling property.

But damn it, there are nice stretches of homes, as nice as anywhere in the city. Especially Sullivan Avenue right across from Farragut School and parts of St. Louis Avenue. Here's what I mean:

Ever seen one of these? Is this a tri-plex, or a converted commercial property?

You can just tell this was once a great, self sustaining neighborhood as Alderman Moore suggested above. There are corner stores on almost every block. The vast majority of business is long gone:

But some corner businesses remain or have been converted to small churches:

Speaking of churches, there are some beauties.

The Bishop Philip L. Scott Overpass stopped me in my tracks. I mean, what is up with this catwalk, ever seen anything like this? I mean why? Where? There is little to no traffic around here. Of all the things to spend money on, how did everyone vote on this thing.

I couldn't find much on the history of this curiosity other than this:

Episcopal Bishop. He founded the Lively Stone Church of God in 1934. His radio ministry program, "Voice in the Wilderness" was heard in Missouri and Kentucky. His ministry spanned over 53 years. He became Diocesan of the 12th Episcopal District of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World during that time. Warne Avenue in St. Louis (a location for two of his churches that were joined by a pedestrian crosswalk known at the "Chapel of the Sky") was renamed in his honor. (bio by: Connie Nisinger) (Source)

Anyhow, the homes along Natural Bridge are true beauties. They are in varied states of repair, but man the potential is huge. Some of these stately homes overlook Fairground(s) Park which I have to say was bustling with positive activity including joggers, dog walkers and people meeting for early morning tennis before it heats up.

Nice:

There is also a lot of former business that once set up some pretty handsome buildings along Natural Bridge:

Check out the parapets on these storefronts and how the residencies are set back...classic:

Another Greater Ville story to mention is that of the Shelley House at 4600 Labadie. This is a National Historic Landmark due to its relevance in the areas of racial housing equality and American law. From wikipedia:

The J.D. Shelley family had moved from Starkville, Mississippi in 1930, fleeing from racially-motivated violence. After renting for a time, the Shelleys sought to buy the house at 4600 Labadie in 1945. The house was under a 1911 covenant that prohibited the sale of the house to anyone of the "Negro or Mongolian race" for a fifty year period, of which the Shelleys were unaware. The Shelleys were sued by the Louis D. Kraemer family, owners of other property on the street, to restrain the Shelleys from taking title to the property. While the trial court held for the Shelleys, the decision was reversed by the Missouri Supreme Court in 1946. The Shelleys appealed to the United States Supreme Court in 1947. The U.S. Office of the Solicitor General filed, for the first time in a civil rights case, an amicus curiae ("friend of the court") brief in support of the Shelleys. The May 3, 1948 decision rendered all racially restrictive covenants unenforceable on the grounds that enforcing them would violate the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.^[3]

Amazing history in our fair city! Here's what the home looks like today (the one to the left):

You've got to admire people who stood up and fought within the system, bettering our nation and our court system and the common rights of all who legally reside here. Well done! The troubling fact remains that the Shelley House, which should be on regional school tours, etc, is a sad testament to the Greater Ville's current state. The homes to the east have been demolished (one after a recent fire) and there are huge piles of fallen debris framing this significant place in the reality of the current sad state of affairs in the Greater Ville.

There is a massive sinking pot hole (that nearly sent me over the handlebars) in the street right across from this National Landmark.

Another institution in black culture, the St. Louis Argus calls the Greater Ville home. It's an African-American oriented weekly newspaper founded in 1912 by brothers J. E. and William Mitchell. The Argus is the oldest continuous black business in St. Louis. (source).

There are some awesome school buildings in the Greater Ville as well, from the William B. Ittner designed 1904 Cote Brilliante School and Farragut School built in 1906:

To the mid-century modern Philip Hickey School built in 1965:

But again, there is a tremendous amount of neglect and decay in the Greater Ville; here's the evidence:

Check out the 3rd floor patios/dormers:

And I'll leave you with some of my favorite signs:

My favorite ghost sign in the Greater Ville:

All you ugly gents need not apply:

Now let me tell you, I'm a huge fan of the metal and neon sign...this may be my favorite in the entire city. If you're like me, go get pictures, because usually those red boards in the last picture mean death....

In closing, I just wish St. Louis would take hold of its history and reverse this trend of negligence and destruction. There is a proud, strong story to tell here, but it's disappearing. Many have left, many continue to leave. The German and Irish Americans who built and settled this place are long gone, the black middle and upper class are long gone...and the old timers and others are leaving in droves as the Census data continues to point out. I'm not sure the Greater Ville can handle another decade of staggering losses in the mid-twenties percentile. St. Louis, stop and look at yourself; spend some time and effort to save the history of our city. It's a damn shame.

The Plastic(k) Pavilion in Botanical Heights

2011-07-28T20:24:00.000-05:00

Public art is one of the things that makes our city great. Without a doubt, it's great to see new sculpture popping up all over the city. The most recent installment I discovered is the Plastic(k) Pavilion at Blaine and Thurman in the Botanical Heights neighborhood.

This amazing work of art is billed as a "shade structure":

“This shade structure is a good representation of our neighborhood because it’s half finished” announced Nancy Symeonoglou, president of the Botanical Heights Neighborhood Association at last night’s grand opening of the nearly completed Plastic(k) Pavilion, a shade structure which will complement the incoming playground at Thurman and Blaine in Botanical Heights.

Symeonoglou’s statement refers to the opportunity and momentum for future development activity in the area. Botanical Heights has seen recent activity in development as well as infrastructure improvements, decreased crime, and large community involvement in projects such as the Plastic(k) Pavilion and the Botanical Heights Community Garden and Orchard across the street. However, there is also room for future development on vacant lots and boarded up homes. The Garden District Commission as well as UIC + CDO have been working to stimulate more development projects in the area, starting with the Botanical Grove development, until the entire neighborhood is occupied.

The design of the Plastic(k) Pavilion was developed by a Washington University graduate architecture class led by Professor Ken Tracey along with community input, addressing safety concerns and preferences on appearance. Students are constructing the structure as well and should be complete in the next few weeks. Residents are currently organizing to find funding and designers for the playground that will be constructed adjacent to the Plastic(k) Pavilion. (source)

Wow! Wow! Wow! And here are some shots of the community garden across the street at Folsom and Thurman. It's complete with a fruit tree orchard, native prairie planting and several raised beds.

Congrats to the fine folks of Botanical Heights, Washington University and Gateway Greening for the wonderful progress. Keep it up!

The Temtor 8125 Michigan Avenue

2011-07-25T21:03:00.000-05:00

A recent development in the Patch neighborhood includes the fantastic $27M rebirth of the former Coca-Cola syrup plant re-branded as "the Temtor" at 8125 Michigan Avenue which will have several loft-style dwellings and will be home to Perennial Artisan Ales, another microbrewery tasting room/bar and beer garden which will add to St. Louis' reputation as a premier U.S. beer city.

Seventy-seven apartments will be built in the former Coke plant and 32 apartments will be built in nearby buildings. The project also includes 27,000 square feet of office or retail space in the former Coke plant and 8,000 square feet of space of commercial space on South Broadway.

In addition to the former Coke plant, nine nearby buildings will be converted to apartments and retail space as part of the redevelopment. (source)

A little history on the Temtor:

On the National Register of Historic Places, the Temtor building was designed in the early 1900s by noted architect Harry G. Clymer. Early press reports about the structure spoke of “integrity through workmanship, design, location and material.”

Named for its first tenant, the Temtor Fruits and Product Company, and years later purchased by Coca-Cola to manufacture the secret syrup supplied to bottlers in a five-state area. (source)

The new windows look dynamite against the red brick of the former factory.

I simply cannot wait to sip a local brew in the beer garden of one of St. Louis' finest and most soulful neighborhoods. Cheers to all those involved in bringing this place back to life. It's folks like you that make me hold on to hope that this rust belt city can evolve into a cool place that will attract people from all over.

Food Network Stars - Casting Call in St. Louis

2011-07-25T12:57:00.000-05:00

I was contacted by a casting assistant for the Food Network who is reaching out to any chef, home cook, caterer or culinary enthusiast who might be interested in becoming the host of his or her own cooking show on Food Network.

So I'll pass her information along:

My name is Amy Weiser and I am a casting assistant for Food Network Star, Food Network's hugely successful culinary reality series. We are currently casting for season 8 and would like to inform you and your readers that we are holding an open casting call in St. Louis on Saturday, July 30th, 2011. For your convenience, I have attached a copy of our flyer that further details what we are looking for. Please feel free to post our information on to your website, send it out to any list serve you may have or forward it on to anyone you think might be right for the show. Any help spreading the word about our search is greatly appreciated!

We are looking for people who are full of life, passionate about cooking, and knowledgeable about food to meet us in person at our open casting call. Please help us reach out to any chef, home cook, caterer or culinary enthusiast who might be interested in becoming the host of his or her own cooking show on Food Network!

The details of our event are as follows:

Saturday, July 30th, 2011
10am-2pm
Sheraton St. Louis City Center
400 S. 14th Street, St. Louis, MO 63103

If you have any questions or require further information, please feel free to contact me. Thank you for your time and assistance.

Sincerely,

Amy Weiser
Casting Assistant
212.359.9479
amy@jenscasting.com

Food Network Star

So how about it St. Louis?

The Carondelet Neighborhood

2011-07-22T23:09:00.000-05:00

Carondelet is a south St. Louis neighborhood located south of Walsh and Eichelberger via Virginia, east of Grand and I-55 via Holly Hills and Loughborough, north of the River Des Peres, Robert Avenue and Nagel Avenue and west of Alabama Avenue and the Mississippi River. Are you as confused as I am? Here's the map:

The 2000 census counted 9,960 residents (5% decrease from 1990's count) of whom 74% white, 19% black, 2% Asian and 5% Hispanic/Latino. 4,730 housing units were counted of which 85% were occupied, 52% by owners, 48% by renters. 5% is a pretty modest decrease considering the staggering city-wide losses, especially in North St. Louis. Carondelet has nearly stabilized, but still saw another 3% loss of residents from 2000-2010.

As you can see I-55 butchered Carondelet and divided it in two. It's a rough cut that makes access nearly impossible by foot/bike. It's a sad part of Carondelet's long history.

Carondelet used to be an independent city founded in 1767 by Clement DeLore de Treget, until St. Louis absorbed it in 1870. The Patch neighborhood was also originally part of Carondelet, but is now a distinct neighborhood. Most St. Louisans think of the Patch as Carondelet anyhow, and it's branded as such, so why not just merge them? The charming area around the Ivory Theatre which includes several cafes and bars has a big "City of Carondelet" painting in the middle of the road. Here's some more on the history of Carondelet (source):

An act of the State Legislature on March 1, 1851, authorized the incorporation of the City of Carondelet. It was divided into three wards and authorized election of a mayor and two councilmen from each ward. In 1862, the city offices were moved to Lafayette Hall at the southeast corner of Broadway and Loughborough. This landmark, later converted to commercial uses, was destroyed by fire in 1949. During the late 1860's, the city began to attract many industries and prospered after opening of the Iron Mountain Railroad from St. Louis.

The political complexion of Carondelet changed during the Civil War. Older inhabitants were generally Democrats, whereas the more recently arrived Germans were Republican and Northern sympathizers. At the 1859 city election only two Democrats were elected, all other offices going to the Republicans, who dominated the city's life for many years. Henry T. Blow remained the leader of the pro-Union people during the war years. Southern sympathizers rallied to join the Confederate Army under Captain John S. Bowen, who, as a general, died of complications from the effects of the siege of Vicksburg.

A special census in 1865 reported the population of Carondelet to be 4,534. Native Americans comprised 3/8 of the total, while Irish and Germans comprised 1/4 each and French and Creoles were the remaining 1/8. On the first Tuesday in April, 1870, by act of the legislature, Carondelet was annexed to the City of St. Louis, amid much bitterness among Carondelet residents who had no voice in the precedings.

Until 1900, Carondelet continued to be a pleasant place to live, having enjoyed the extension of city services after the 1870 merger with St. Louis. With the advent of the twentieth century, a gradual decline began in the area to the extent that considerable rehabilitation is now necessary, especially in the older portions of Carondelet.

This part of town is brimming with potential. Particularly, the stretch of Broadway that goes through Carondelet and the Patch could be one of THE premier city streets in all of America. It reminds me of New Orleans or Charleston, South Carolina. It feels like the South, which is odd because Carondelet played an important role in aiding the Union Army in the Civil War. There are many bars and restaurants including Slo-Toms Lounge made semi-famous by the legendary local band the Bottle Rockets:

Some sights along Broadway:

But don't get me wrong, it's not all southern charm and rainbows on Broadway, it's largely industrial with large petroleum, scrap metal and other unsightly operations. But it adds to the gritty cool that is South City.

Carondelet's topography is on a bluff, which then slopes down toward the river right around Michigan Avenue. There are some amazing structures in this part of the hood, espicially on Michigan and Minnesota. For instance, the convent of the Sisters of St. Joseph who have an amazing history dating back to 1836...from Carondelet many institutions had their start and continue their good works to the present day. St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf, St. Joseph’s Academy, Fontbonne College, now Fontbonne University, all began in the convent at Carondelet. Check this 175 year old beauty out:

You also have the Mary and Joseph school/church campus:

Another awe inspiring building along Michigan is the Carondelet Branch of the Public Library. This is a Carnegie Fund library which dates back to 1908. It includes a WPA mural, "The Founding of St. Louis" by Robert Rigsby which was added in 1934. The place is great, but it had some unfortunate "rehabs" including a cheezy dropped ceiling covering up the original ornate ceiling. But, the library has been closed since December, 2010 through 2012 when it will reopen with some wonderful upgrades:

During the renovations, construction crews will add a new entrance, an elevator and ADA-compliant bathrooms, and the parking lot will be expanded. The mural will be cleaned and restored, and the library plans to update its computers and its collections of books, magazines and DVDs. (source)

Hopefully the orininal ceiling will be re-exposed. Of course in St. Louis, progress always seems to come in the 2 steps forward, 1 step back nature. A beautiful brick building directly south of the library was demolished to make way for a parking lot. My family has never had a problem parking on the street to access this place....never. But, I realize the ADA component and other factors require parking, etc to improve access. So it goes.

The Carondelet Historical Society is housed in the former Des Peres School building which was the site of the first public Kindergarten in the United States founded by one of my favorite St. Louisans: Susan Elizabeth Blow.

There is a Spanish Society on Michigan as well:

The schools of Carondelet include Blow (1903 William B. Ittner masterpiece); this was the first school to open in Carondelet back in 1866 on the same site as the current Blow Middle School:

^Note the raised bed gardens on the front grounds. An excellent learning tool, bravo.

Then you have Woodward on Bates, well, the sign is on Bates; but the front faces Bellerive. This one was completed in 1921.

Also of interest is Virginia School which has recently been converted to condos:

Carondelet's first school for blacks was also built in 1873, in response to a state law reguiring segregated schools. This was Public School No. 6 at Virginia Avenue and Bowen Street which was later named for Martin R. Delaney, a Negro physician and publisher. The old school was razed in 1911, and was replaced by a new Delaney School, which was renamed Maddox in 1952. From 1940 to 1952 it was named the Virginia Avenue School (for White Children.) source

Other curiosities of Carondelet include the art deco former police station, now EMS dispatchers:

There is a prominent commercial corridor along Michigan just south of Holly Hills:

Just like any place in St. Louis, there are plenty of watering holes, too many to show. But here are a couple:

St. Louis is my home, but you can't take the Belleville outta this boy:

I'd be doing this city a disservice if I didn't mention Iron Barley. I love the atmosphere here and the food and live music and bar. Fred's Six Feet Under is a major contributor to Carondelet soul as well.

Gorgeous churches aplenty:

Can someone tell me what these next 2 buildings once were? The neighbors I spoke to hadn't a clue:

You know I'm a sucka for the ghost and other signs:

And if you want people to find you, you make your address clearly visible:

Recent development in Carondelet includes the much loved and/or hated Loughborough Commons suburban shopping center. I've flip flopped a couple times as to whether this shopping center is a good or bad thing for St. Louis. On one hand, you have to look at the recent history of the site. It was an eyesore including a closed down Nordyne furnace/air conditioner plant and an unsightly former National Supermaket turned Schnucks. It was a dirty store. Now there are several huge chain businesses that I and many others frequent quite often including St. Louis' only Lowe's, a nice/new Schnucks, Office Max, Starbucks, Qdoba, Panera Bread, Little Caesar's Pizza, etc. The trouble is the entry into this suburban styled shopping center is an absolute CLUSTERMESS. Access to the pedestrian is even worse. But, this little pocket of businesses creates a tremendous amount of tax dollars for the city and gets a lot of I-55 traffic stopping in. So yes, the current set up is an improvment over what was there before, but it's not a good example of design and is about as suburban and anti-city as one can imagine. There are also out buildings aside from the strip malls including a bank, Burger King and there is now grading of the final lots near the railroad tracks that run parallel to I-55. So the shopping mall is a financial success, it's just a bummer they couldn't have attempted to make it more part of the neighborhood.

So there are 3 parks that serve the residents of Carondelet. First there's the fantastic Carondelet Park, which is technically outside the borders of Carondelet; but, it includes the new Carondelet city recreation complex run by the YMCA. This is a fantastic place, and a clear asset to the neighborhood. This photo of the rec plex is not meant to show you what the place looks like, but to make note of the fact that the Loughborough bridge widening currently underway utilized the old iron railways from the previous bridge...kudos Carondelet:

Sadly though, the fact that the YMCA was given the keys to this city funded rec plex, they closed the former YMCA on Loughborough. This building was awesome and we have lots of good memories here.

Secondly you have Bellerive Park which has arguably the finest views of the Mighty Miss in the city. The approach to the park is one of splendor. The bridge over Broadway is ornate as is the pavilion which guards over this tiny tract of land intended to provide St. Louisans with views of the river.

Thirdly you have the underwhelming Alaska Park which I must say is just a huge field of unmowed weeds. It's not even really a park.

The severe southern end of Carondelet is the most industrial part of the neighborhood, right by a huge automotive junk yard and the massive phosphates and phosphoric acid plant. The industrial plant has a long history (source):

Throughout the 1800’s, until the 1920’s, the flood plains adjacent to the River des Peres were used for farming. This activity was gradually abandoned in the early 1920’s because of persistent flooding and the flood plains were then used for trash disposal by the City of St. Louis.

The site was industrialized dating back to 1840 when it operated as a lead smelter, refining metal for lead shot. It helped supply munitions for the Union Army during the Civil War. Iron smelters were also in the area when the Iron Railroad came through. During the Civil War, the Carondelet Shipyard manufactured 32 ironclad gunships for the Union Army. From 1870-1930, the site was operated by the Hertz Metal Company still as a lead smelter and they made bailing wire. Monsanto took over in 1935 and ran the site for years focusing in on phosphates and phosphoric acid by products. The site is still used for this application, but Monsanto divested its raw chemicals business as Solution Inc. back in 1997. In 2000 Astaris took over and most recently Israel Chemical LTD has been running the plant since 2005. Surely many have seen this plant from I-55.

Some of the oldest homes in the city can be found in Carondelet, actually I think the lion's share of old stone homes are in the Patch. But there are many beauties in Carondelet. There prevalent home style is probably the shotguns; but there are some medium sized bungalows and huge mansions as well.

The awesome western section including Dover, Wilmington and Bellerive Boulevard is one of the finest pockets of St. Louis you will find. The old growth trees and planted medians of Bellerive just east of Grand and west of I-55 beautifully complement the homes and manicured lawns. Churches and schools are woven into the fabric of the neighborhood; and businesses flank the perimeter.

There is plenty of business occupying the handsome storefront along Grand in this part of the neighborhood.

There are also some major opportunities for improvement including the awesome former Southern Funeral Home which is for sale:

And the cool corner building at the high profile end of Grand at Carondelet Park, which I've always called the Shoppers Cleaners building. This is a place that has attracted a bunch of dubious behavior and is a bone of contention for many in the Holly Hills area. If they could get some decent tenets in here, it could be a real boost for this section of Grand.

The section of homes north of Bates and west of I-55 right around St. Cecilla's Catholic Church/School are unique for one main reason. There is the largest concentration of white glazed bricks on the lower fronts of homes and apartments than any other place in St. Louis I've seen. It really stands out and you gotta wonder if the white brick salesman made out like the music man and had the sales pitch of a lifetime. Check it out:

I've got to spread some love for St. Cecilia's while I'm on Carondelet. If you've never been to their lenten Friday fish fry, you've gotta go. This is one of St. Louis' larger concentrations of Mexican-Americans and they have a Spanish Mass and the south of the border treats served during lent are awesome. It's a great vibe with homemade tamales, cold cerveza and other Mexican treats including Latin dancers and music. It's a feel good scene. And if you get a chance to see the Gothic interior of the church, you won't be disappointed. It's a mosaic covered masterpiece...it made such an impression on me that we decided to get married here. The church has a beautiful Romanesque exterior with twin steeples.

Yeah, there are some not so nice places and some trashy joints and yards for sure. There are some more contemporary suburban styled homes that don't really attempt to blend in.

But there are also some more intriguing new homes that help add density to this fine South City neighborhood:

Now I typically leave the personal stories out of these posts, but I'm going to include one simply because I love this next home and the info I got off the street. I feel it deserves a proper tribute.

First of all, I damn near crashed my scooter into a car on my approach as I gazed at this one-of-a-kind home. I just stopped and wondered how this came to be. Is that a MCM addition on a 1930's St. Louis gingerbread? No, is that 1950's era new construction? Hmmm. I was parked on the sidewalk trying to photograph this place when a kind neighbor waved me over to give me the history of the block. People in this town love talking about their neighborhoods. I have some awesome stories of prideful and amazing people from Lewis Place to the Patch who have entertained and enlightened me with their oral history lessons of this town. I'm grateful for the chance to hear their stories and usually I respectfully leave them out as its sometimes quite personal. But this story really intrigued me so bear with me on this long winded background. The home was intended to be a 2-story dream home of a rather wealthy son of a man who owned a successful cleaning company in St. Louis and lived 2 doors west of this property. This son and his new young bride had dreams of making this a unique home that would display their wealth and sense of style. Sadly, the young couple who were aviation hobbiests, crashed their small airplane in the Florida Everglades and were killed. The home was never finished to it's intended glory, but boy does it stand out. In all my travels, I've never seen one like this. It get's better though. Whenever the husband would return from his long day of work, his bride would could be seen looking out the window and pointing to the clock as to indicate that he's late (or on time, I don't specifically remember which). It was her ritual to greet her hubby. Neighbors and other owners of the home have claimed to have seen her image pointing toward the location where the clock was once hung. The place is haunted and her spirit is told to have lived on in the place of their dreams. I am a sucker for stories like this and I was glad my acquaintance across the street relayed the story amid the 101 degree heat of a sweltering South City day in July.

Should the owner of this fine home ever come across this story, please email me, I'd love to get a tour of this one.

Carondelet is a great neigborhood adding to St. Louis' history and story.

The Dutchtown Neighborhood

2011-07-19T21:21:00.000-05:00

Dutchtown is a south St. Louis neighborhood located south of Chippewa Street, east of the Missouri Pacific Railroad tracks, north east of Walsh Street and west of Broadway and Compton via Meremec Street:

These are the official boundaries from the City website, but that's not what the signs marking the neighborhood say:

They have the northern boundary as Utah Street, the eastern boundary of the Mississippi River and the southern boundary of Eichelberger. Oh well. I used the official map on the city website, as I did for all other neighborhoods, so I'm shooting for precision as opposed to accuracy.

So who lives in this part of our fair city? The 2000 census counted 17,222 residents, making Dutchtown the most populous neighborhood in the city at the time. (3% increase from 1990's count). 50% white, 40% black, 5% Asian and 4% Hispanic/Latino. But, the momentum was not sustained from 2000-2010, where a double digit loss was estimated.

8,445 housing units were counted of which 81% were occupied, 41% by owners, 59% by renters.

Dutchtown was the first neighborhood I moved to when coming to St. Louis in 1994. I think my rent was around $225/month. Not bad for a recent college grad with no money. I fell in love with the City with Dutchtown as my home base. At that time I rode my bike everywhere and Dutchtown was VERY walkable and easy to get around with many intra-neighborhood businesses, etc. It was a nice place to call home then and now.

Dutchtown takes its name from from Deutsch, i.e., "German", as it was the southern center of German settlement in St. Louis in the early 19th Century. The neighborhood was designed with pride and craftsmanship; it was built to last.

Dutchtown is huge in area and is almost like it's own small town. It has a hospital (Alexian Brothers), a private Catholic high school (St. Mary's), a Ford dealership (McMahon), a pharmacy (CVS), light industry, many churches, locally made treats (Companion Bakery, Merb's Candy, Dad's Cookies) and many many positive places that have popped up over the last 10-15 years (Grbic, Urban Eats, Maude's Market, Feasting Fox, Banh Mi So, etc). It's got 4 potential commercial corridors (the insanely abandoned but super cool Meremec, Chippewa, Grand and Broadway) and tons of great St. Louis-classic houses and apartments of all shapes and sizes. Dutchtown is a perfect example of the gritty cool vibe that St. Louis has. And then there's the oldest remaining St. Louis location of the wildly popular local treat: Ted Drewes Frozen Custard. The Dutchtown location is on Grand and Kingsland Ct. The first Ted Drewes location was in Florida, the second on Natural Bridge in North St. Louis, the third is the Grand location opened in 1931 (source).

Then

Now

Here are some of the other familiar institutions that are near and dear to many:

^I know the chocolate covered strawberries and atomic apples are the choice of the hoi polloi, but it's the milk chocolate caramels that keep me coming back for more. Some other fine choices within Dutchtown:

^Maude's Market

Dutchtown is within a short walk from the Carpenter and Carondelet branches of the St. Louis Public Libary, the Grand/South Grand retail, restaurant and entertainment area. It is flanked by the strong neighborhoods of Holly Hills, Tower Grove South and Bevo Mill.

There are three parks; the largest: Marquette Park which is bisected by Compton Avenue and bound by Minnesota, Louisiana, Osage and Gasconade. It is home to the Dunn-Marquette Rec Center which has a rich history in serving the neighborhood and has a very nicely maintained outdoor swimming pool:

Built in 1917, Marquette Center is located in Marquette Park. The park features two softball fields, a soccer field, playground and three tennis courts. Originally, the center was a locker and shower facility for the swimming pool. After the city renovated the building into a community center, the Thomas Dunn Foundation donated funds to build an air-conditioned gymnasium at the site. The Marquette Center has a crafts room and a multi-purpose room. Children can enjoy soccer, gymnastics, fuzzball, wiffle ball, tumbling and game room activities. Co-educational sports include basketball, softball and volleyball. The park is named in honor of Pierre Marquette. The original swimming pool was constructed approximately 1904 with a sand and gravel bottom. Approximately 1930 the bottom was covered with asphalt. This land was originally acquired from the Board of Children's Guardians. (source)

The second park is Laclede Park which is visible from Meremec and Broadway. This tract of land was set aside for park use dating back to 1812 and was again reserved for park purposes in a subdivision laid out in 1853. It's got a playground, ball fields and a cool pavilion:

The third is the mid-century Amberg Park (1963) near Gustine and Keokuk which has 2 nice ball fields and a playground.

The southern half of the park site was purchased by the city in January of 1962 at a cost of $55,250 from the St. Louis Board of Education, who sold the city the northern half of the contiguous site for $55,250 in August, 1963, following a fire which destroyed the Dunnica School building. Funds for the purchase of the site came from the 1944 and 1955 bond issues. Amberg Park was designed by Landscape Architect, Robert E. Goetz and Associates in 1966 and construction began during January, 1967. The park was named in honor of Richard H. Amberg (1912-1967) for his personal distinction and his contributions to the parks and playgrounds of the city. He also served as publisher of the Globe Democrat. (source)

Other points of interest if you are to explore Dutchtown include the architectural masterpiece Cleveland High School built by William B. Ittner in 1915, closed since 2006 (FAIL!). Read up and gaze upon its beauty here and here. And here are some of my shots:

Right next to Cleveland is the smallest roundabout I've seen in the entire city. Check this out:

There are other public schools in Dutchtown including the Mel Carnahan School of the Future, Scruggs and Meremec; and the former Catholic school St. Thomas Aquinis:

Other curiosities of Dutchtown include the Stork Inn at Virginia and Taft (now an architect studio) and Busch's Inn at Grand and Meremec (now The Feasting Fox pub) which make up two of the three South Side Anheuser-Busch tied houses (The Bevo Mill is in, you guessed it, The Bevo neighborhood):

One of my favorites in Dutchtown is this former cinema built in 1910 at Virginia and Vermont. It is currently owned by the city's land re-utilization authority:

Above all, Dutchtown is a residential neighborhood. And you can't deny the fact that it has a mix of nearly all styles of brick homes that St. Louis has to offer. Here's what I mean:

There's a lot to like in Dutchtown, and reason to believe that some of the more negative signs of population loss, random violent crime and dubious properties are going to get better. I mean every neighborhood has a silver lining right:

Dutchtown has a good alderman in Shane Cohn and there is visual progress being made, especially in the formerly rough/trashy multi-unit apartment complexes near the Holly Hills border on the south east edge of the neighborhood.

And there appears to be more development on the way:

St. Mary's High School recently acquired some of this property to expand it's ball fields; and they maintain a handsome campus:

The twin steeples of St. Anthony Padua Catholic church on Meremec in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood loom over Dutchtown and can be seen from many great vantage points:

The neighborhood was designed with such grace and dignity and functional and elegant design, everything seems to fit just so. Even the firehouses are works of art:

My favorite Dutchtown church is the mid-century mod Resurrection of Our Lord Catholic church at Meremec and Hydraulic:

There are other examples of MCM to appreciate:

The untapped potential of Dutchtown's commercial corridors is huge. Meremec looks really good and is soundly intact, with a nice mix of residential and business. Some stretches, especially between Grand and Compton have a plethora of charming, yet largely empty, storefronts set to make this an even bigger attraction:

Chippewa as a whole is largely abandoned; but again, has huge potential. There are still a handful of businesses holding on. In many ways, Chippewa is an indicator of how far the neighborhood has slipped in the last 20-30 years. Here's a mix of what you'll see along Chippewa today:

And finally, the remaining 2 commercial corridors of Grand and Virginia sit in wait for more development and tenants to once again make this a vibrant and active neighborhood. Unfortunately Grand took a beating in Dutchtown, the vacant fast food joints and the former National Supermarket have left holes in the original fabric of the neighborhood. The cost of these demos to make way for these businesses is steep. Original structures are destroyed to make way for the newest and greatest drive thru junk food restaurant or supermarket. But as we know far too well, these businesses are temporary in their existence yet the holes they leave are forever. You can't rebuild today what America once was capable of building. On the other hand, Virginia Avenue is far better off with quite a bit of remaining business and original storefronts.

The alarming trend of population loss in Dutchtown could make this area a canary in the coal mine of sorts for South St. Louis in general. Dutchtown could be a decent case study in the future of South City. Will it continue to thrive and attract new generations of residents willing to maintain and improve the area ala Tower Grove South, or will it go the opposite direction attracting cheaper and cheaper rents, with fewer and fewer owner-occupied folks and landlords living in the neighborhood. The bones of a great neighborhood are there. This could be the ultimate city neighborhood. Will it get better or worse? Only time will tell. One thing I know for sure, the next 10 years will be critical for Dutchtown in turning the recent tides of negativity to a more positive, welcoming place for all. Keep your eyes on Dutchtown, it's ripe for improvement and it's up and coming. We need a strong Dutchtown for a strong south side and a strong city in general.

The Riverview Neighborhood

2011-07-02T10:13:00.000-05:00

Riverview is the northernmost St. Louis neighborhood that extends 1/3 mile north of I-270 and is bound by St. Charles Rock Road to the south (although Maline Creek and the big flood gates might be easier to recognize), city limits to the west (pretty much just a matter of yards west of Riverview Drive) and the Mississippi River to the east:

The 2000 census data counted 237 residents (down 28% from 1990's count) of whom 43% were black, 53% white and 4% Asian. There were a mere 98 housing units counted, 92% occupied (79%/21% owner/renter split). And this is one of the few neighborhoods to actually gains residents in the 2010 Census count. There are now 304 people calling Riverview home!

This is a unique place in St. Louis: it's shape, its topography, etc. It's really just a narrow sliver of land wedged between the St. Louis County cities of Glasgow Village, Riverview (the Village) and Bellefontaine Neighbors and of course the mighty Mississippi River. There's a lot going on in this little neighborhood of St. Louis.

One thing to point out would be the presences of the 11 mile Riverfront Trail that splits Riverview Drive and the river. The trail markers and sites can be seen throughout Riverview:

Also, the neighborhood is a short walk from the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area and the Edward 'Ted' and Pat Jones Confluence Point State Park. For you ornithologists and nature lovers, I can vouch for this spot as a great bird watching destination, nice and close to the city.

I really think the entire state of Missouri is naturally beautiful. Rivers and bluffs and forests and mountains, streams and prairies, its a beautiful place. Riverview, more than any of the other 78 neighborhoods of St. Louis has a distinct connection to natural Missouri. And that to me is what really sets Riverview apart.

Another curiosity of Riverview is Cementland that lies just west of Riverview Blvd. This is a project of Bob Cassilly the amazingly creative and driven man behind the City Museum. I didn't go in to explore, but you can view this video by Evan Mueller here to get an up close view. There is a conversation on the project at nextSTL. And here's what the modern-day mound city looked like to me today near and around the perimeter:

The handful of homes in Riverview are built up high to prevent flooding from the river. Some are built right into the bluffs and make for a quiet and private setting:

There is a huge Home Depot distribution facility just west of Riverview Blvd and a massive water treatment plant along the river, the biggest in St. Louis, and once the biggest water facility in the world (source):

The Chain of Rocks had been chosen as a site for St. Louis waterworks by James Kirkwood in 1865. However, Kirkwood's plan was initially rejected, and construction on the Chain of Rocks Plant did not begin until 1887. It opened in 1894. The designer of Chain of Rocks was Minard Holman, who functioned as the first chief engineer of the plant and later became the city's Water Commissioner. Chain of Rocks was originally built as a low service pumping facility in which water was taken from single channel intake in the Mississippi to low service steam pumps, and finally into a series of sedimentation basins. After the muddy sediment settled to the bottom of the basins, the water flowed by gravity through an aqueduct to the high service station at Bissells Point, seven and a half miles toward the center of the city. From this point the water was distributed throughout the piping system and to consumers throughout the city.

Since its initial construction, Chain of Rocks has gone through constant additions and modifications. The Chain of Rocks Plant was the first large water treatment facility to use lime softening and ferrous sulfate in the water purification process. The Chain of Rocks filter plant was built in 1915, and was realized to be the largest filter plant in the world at the time of its construction. It contains 40 filters and stretches 700 feet in length. High service pumping facilities were built in 1957 as a result of plans to close the Bissells Point Plant. This addition allowed Chain of Rocks to function as an independent facility, and was no longer dependent on another plant to distribute its water. In 1958, the self-contained steam power at Chain of Rocks was replaced by an electric system. A new Coagulant House, able to safely store all chemical additives, was built in 1960.

Just like nearly every St. Louis neighborhood, there is a park. This one just feet from the river. A bandstand and BBQ was being set up at the time of my visit:

As a 17 year St. Louisian, I need to go fishing in the Miss. This is part of my personal rite of passage toward being a bona-fide citizen; pulling a big ugly catfish out of the Mississippi just seems cool and fun (how Mark Twain is that?). There are MANY fishermen along the river in this part of the city.

On to my favorite point of interest in Riverview, the hulking Chain of Rocks Bridge, a site certainly worth visiting. The bridge was privately built in 1929 as a toll bridge. It became part of the Route 66 in 1936 and was used until 1968. The ultimate demise of the bridge was the construction of the free I-270 bridge just north of the Chain of Rocks bridge in 1966. The bridge was slated for demolition in 1975, but the low price of scrap metal at the time made it non-profitable. Whew! In 1998 the bridge was leased out to Trailnet and is now a pedestrian/cyclist bridge and monument to Route 66. It was used in the filming of the 1981 film "Escape From New York". The bridge is actually owned by the city of Madison, Illinois. Bear with me while I reminisce of my childhood erector set dreams and the feats of man:

The two water intake towers built in 1894 (West) and 1915 (East) are amazing:

Here's a view of the intake towers with the water treatment facility in the background (there's a 7 foot pipe that channeled water to the facility):

What the? Is that a... Yes, the bridge has a 22 degree bend in the middle, which was the site of many car crashes:

Today the steel is weathered and cool looking, the deck has some great/sad/hilarious grafitti.

I too am content Ms. Gay.

Here's my personal take on the beauty of aging and oxidation:

The toll building on the St. Louis side has been demolished. Here's what it looked like back in the day:

photo source

Since the bridge was unused for 30 years in the hard rocking' days of the late 60's and 70's, I surmise that many shaggy, mullet-having real rockers would party on the bridge and listen to the then powerful and amazingly influential K-SHE 95. I can hear Moxy songs in the back of my mind:

photo source

Here's some evidence of the real-rockers presence:

Trailnet has taken to plaques and other momentos as fund raisers including these plaques that adorn the side rails of the bridge. Many of them are quite touching and inspirational:

This bridge (along with the Eads bridge) provides amazing views of downtown about 11 miles south:

Riverview is all about the Mighty Miss. It's power is stunning. The swirling, massive current is a testament to the strength and determination of the City, the bridges, the water intakes and shorelines of the biggest river in North America.