Categories
Clearance McRee Town South St. Louis

The Destruction of McRee Town: April 2004

by Michael R. Allen

Nearly every building in these photos taken on April 18 has since been demolished, never to be seen again. Considering such vast demolition on buildings is staggering. Further considering all of the loss in one-of-a-kind building materials makes one wonder how any contemporary city that would consent to such wanton destruction could be considered a healthy place to live. And this is just a very basic assessment of the loss of buildings. No one can yet know how much damage this demolition has wrought on the entire city fabric or upon the lives of the displaced residents.

Any building that escaped the demolitions of late spring 2004 would be gone by fall, including the Regal Foods store building (seen in the 3900 block of McRee below). The store — last remaining outpost of neighborly commerce in this neighborhood — was open into the beginning of April 2004.

Views from the 3900 block of Lafayette Avenue

     
  

Views from the 3900 block of McRee Avenue

     
        

Views from the 4000 block of McRee Avenue

Views from the 3900 block of Blaine Avenue

Views from the 4000 block of Blaine Avenue