Back in August, we got in the car and spent an entire day in North City photographing the current state of the sixteen schools on the St. Louis Public School surplus list. 15/16 are in North City. Only Cleveland remains on the Southside.
You can’t help but walk away with varied emotions and thoughts on the future city when doing projects like these. Some of the schools on the list are in dire need of attention lest they fall in the next storm or fire set by trespassers.
Webster School at 2127 North 11th Street was one such school we didn’t have high hopes for if you use the property condition of nearby buildings as an indicator. This circa 1908 William B. Ittner classic was closed in 2007, so it has had a rough 12 years, but was in pretty decent shape (all things considered). But signs of illegal entry were on display.
There are some great photos of Webster’s interior and views from the roof published by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 2015.
The $657,745 asking price seems high by St. Louis standards but a coastal investor might just lick their chops.
Named for statesman and orator Daniel Webster (1782-1852), this former school, highly visible from I-70 just north of Downtown in the Old North St. Louis Neighborhood has what appears to be a mid-Century addition to the front, covering up the original entryway.
This school is important to St. Louis’ history of German immigration. Per the Missouri Historical Society, the school dates back to 1852 and was one of the first to introduce German language into the curriculum.
“Clinton Place was established as one of the three circular spaces laid out by the founding fathers of Old North St. Louis—Major William Chambers, Thomas Wright and William Christy. This southernmost circle was set aside for a “seminary of learning,” a goal that was achieved with the construction of Webster School in 1852. Daniel Webster, the school’s namesake, was a famous statesman and orator, as well as a former visitor to the neighborhood. Fifteen years earlier, a reception in his honor had been held at William Christy’s mansion on Monroe Street.
Webster School, at 2127 N. 11 th Street, was among the first schools in the city to introduce German language instruction in the 1860s as part of an effort to increase attendance among immigrant children. The experiment in bilingual education was controversial, but it succeeded in boosting public school enrollment. Webster School, which hired two German language teachers in 1867, boasted attendance rates that were among the highest in the city. By the turn-of-the-century, enrollment figures had reached the point where a larger building was needed. In 1908, the School Board oversaw the construction of the present structure, which was designed by William Ittner, a nationally renowned architect. Standing four stories in height, the school building was enhanced by the use of textured brick in various shades of red.
When the St. Louis Board of Alderman decided to abandon the plot’s unique design in 1932, Clinton Place became the first of neighborhood’s three circles to disappear. Now smoothed over by the modern necessity of a school parking lot, the original circular lot afforded to Clinton Place by the Old North St. Louis founders remains only in historical memory.”
So, it was much welcomed news when I read a November article on CityScene STL about the future of Webster School.
“The plans call for the 68,000SF school to be converted into 45, two-bedroom apartments that average out to be 970SF. An additional 4, two-bedroom villa style units will be built on the West side of the building near Hadley Street. The total number of units in this project will be 49.
According to the Planning Commission document, the units will be limited to people who are older than 55 years old. Rents will range from $360-$575 monthly. Also included in the project are 50 parking spaces, social activities, and health services for the residents. A decent amount of green space, that will replace asphalt, will further brighten up the properties appearance and will give the property a cleaner look.
LMAC Holdings, which is a division of “A Caring Plus”, has yet to acquire the building form the City Board of Education but it has the option to do so at this point. The project will be financed by a mixture of Lox Income Tax Credits, Federal and State Historic Tax Credits, and a loan from the Affordable Housing Commission. The City is also recommending a 15 year tax abatement with 10 years at 100% and 5 years at 50%. ”
Here is a rendering of the brick veneer villas:
Image from CityScene STL
Yes, I realize the low slung suburban-styled villas are not pleasing to the historic property nor the other historic buildings in the neighborhood. But this is a compromise situation for sure.
Image from CityScene STL
Webster School is just south of Old North St. Louis’ largest park, Jackson Park, a reasonable walk for seniors to get some peaceful outdoor time.
There are many hurdles and steps along the way to a project this size. Let’s hope this one progresses and gets the tax breaks necessary to save it from the landfill and bring some quality housing to a key neighborhood just north of Downtown.
