by Michael R. Allen
Demolition work at the Cochran Gardens housing complex north of downtown is nearing completion. After demolition of three low-rise buildings, wreckers are working to finish demolition of one of the two tall buildings at the former public housing complex.
Completed in 1953 and designed by architectural firm Hellmuth, Yamasaki & Leinweber, Cochran Gardens was the first project built by the St. Louis Housing Authority that made use of high-rise buildings. However, the complex balanced three tall buildings with low-rise buildings. Cochran included twelve buildings, and six were six stories each, two were seven stories, and four were twelve stories. Nevertheless, Cochran Gardens set the stage for the Pruitt, Igoe, Darst, Webbe, Vaughn and Blumeyer housing complexes that were composed exclusively of tall buildings. In time, all of these projects have been cleared and redeveloped, most using the federal HOPE VI program.
Cochran Gardens will retain its second tower, transformed in 1980 into elderly housing. That tower will remain as the first and last tall public housing building in St. Louis.
One reply on “Cochran Gardens Demolition Nearing Completion”
Baffled city officials in 50’s actually. Believe or conceive yes receive. Funding for urban
fright without. Delight might of inept communities. Failed reason exclusively residential. Motive eliminate homelessness? Guess those guilty signing these programs. HUD segregation historical entitlement. Whites preference “placid tomorrow”suburbans. Really gentrification of St.Louis verse. St.Louis county rejected housing. Plans of high rise communities deter. Lower income becoming home owners. Yes city funding to continue on. Decandence they can’t sadly St. Louis. Forgotten possible redevelopment from. International cartels whom Jay Nixon. Eager to provide tax exemptions! St.Louis once respect arhitectural city. Neglected stagnated projects should. Never been construction bringing apathy. And economic blight reminder large. Group housing is failure without. Essentials of communities health,educational,employment and parks. Presently, Chicago,NYC and San Francisco. Experiencing gentrification due incomes rentals. Taken off markets for affluent. Cities guilty not building BMR housing. Due,profits of private developments. St.Louis attracts the global few. There going tell city hall. What to due along NAIOP. Agenda displace the lower income! Projects were horrible concept reason. Density of land and mass market. Housing ideal reestablish concept for. Politicans so can observe damage. To families and neighborhoods! Original concept for Pruitt-Igoe not 11fl but 28. Rear towers 15 due budget St.Louis. Housing favored 11fl architectural idea. Failed to respect historical neighborhood. Low rise housing society needs. Education of policies of below market rate. Housing reform HUD is guilty and cities!