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North St. Louis People St. Louis Place

Two Good Things About St. Louis

The Royale Treatment – Eddie Silva (St. Louis Magazine, February 2007)

Is this an article about Steve Smith or the cultural future of this city? Does it really matter, with prose this lovely?

Cool to be Kind – Molly Languir (Riverfront Times, January 31)

Amid depopulation and big-time real estate maneuvers, a quiet revolution is occurring on the near northside. Its leaders are the gentle Catholic Workers from the Karen House community, some of my favorite neighbors.

While some might read articles like this and think we have a fine counterculture, others could come to the conclusion that many St. Louisans have redefined the city’s cultural identity. Forget the easily replicated allure of new condos or the sports teams that other cities have. The really original things about St. Louis may pass undetected by most people, but they are providing desperately needed cultural continuity. Some people seem to truly think that St. Louis is a great city, and they translate these thoughts into actions.

In fact, so many interesting people live here one could easily stop thinking about the old guard forever, if only they stopped stealing houses, leveling neighborhoods and pulling the city further into decline.

Categories
JeffVanderLou North St. Louis Northside Regeneration Old North St. Louis Place

Three Neighborhoods, Thousands of People

by Michael R. Allen

If anyone tuned into last night’s excellent program on the 6:00 p.m. news program of KMOV Channel 4, you would have seen a compelling, tightly-edited report from Russell Kinsaul.

Just don’t get the wrong idea. More is at stake here than Old North St. Louis with its eager young middle-class white rehabbers. The “Blairmont” project encompasses the lives of thousands of people, and the biggest impact is on a largely poor, African-American population. This population may not survive the development apparently envisioned by Paul McKee’s McEagle Properties. (That project is in line to receive a large subsidy from the state of Missouri should a proposed bill amendment go through this week.)

The concerns of renters in JeffVanderLou are as politically important as those raised by homeowners in Old North St. Louis. In fact, the fact that both share the same concerns show that the near north side already enjoys incredible diversity — and an unfortunate deep bond in fear over the possible changes to come.

In the future, that bond and that diversity could be improved by thoughtful, careful redevelopment efforts. Clearance would erase the potential for retaining the existing population that has maintained the cultural fabric of the area despite incredible obstacles posed by decades of disinvestment.

Instead of viewing the area as a potential blank slate, would-be developers should see an area already possessing a great array of architectural, cultural and social resources. The focus needs to be on filling the gaps harmoniously to create a strong urban fabric for three very cool neighborhoods.

These neighborhoods already are rebuilding block by block, neighbor by neighbor, house by house. While Claire and I are a part of this effort, so are many other people. We look forward to many others joining us in the next decade, and to seeing our fellow near north siders stick around for the good future we share.

Categories
North St. Louis Northside Regeneration St. Louis Place

Blairmont: 1900 Block of Montgomery Street

Date of photograph: August 19, 2005.

LOCATION: 1915 Montgomery Street; St. Louis Place; Saint Louis, Missouri
CURRENT OWNER: N & G Ventures LC

Date of photograph: August 19, 2005.

LOCATION: 1937 Montgomery Street; St. Louis Place; Saint Louis, Missouri
CURRENT OWNER: N & G Ventures LC

Read More: Built St. Louis The Slow Death of a City Block

Categories
North St. Louis Northside Regeneration St. Louis Place

Blairmont: St. Louis Avenue Buildings in St. Louis Place

Part of the Photographic Survey of Blairmont Buildings.

Building is at left. The building at right, owned by the city Land Reutilization Authority, has since been demolished.
Date of photograph: June 9, 2006.

LOCATION: 1508 St. Louis Avenue; St. Louis Place
CURRENT OWNER: VHS Partners LLC


These are the two buildings at left. Date of photograph: December 13, 2006.

Rear view. Date of photograph: January 7, 2007.

LOCATION: 1922 and 1924 St. Louis Avenue; St. Louis Place
CURRENT OWNER: N & G Ventures LC

Date of photograph: August 12, 2006.

LOCATION: 1930-6 St. Louis Avenue; St. Louis Place
CURRENT OWNER: N & G Ventures LC


Building is at left. Date of photograph: September 14, 2006.

LOCATION: 2200 St. Louis Avenue; St. Louis Place
CURRENT OWNER: VHS Partners LLC

Building is at left. Date of photograph: September 14, 2006.

LOCATION: 2325 St. Louis Avenue; St. Louis Place
CURRENT OWNER: Noble Development Company LLC

Categories
North St. Louis Northside Regeneration St. Louis Place

Blairmont: Some of the St. Louis Place Buildings

Part of the Photographic Survey of Blairmont Buildings.

Date of photograph: July 23, 2005.

LOCATION: 2325 St. Louis Avenue; St. Louis Place; Saint Louis, Missouri
CURRENT OWNER: VHS Partners LLC



Date of photograph: December 13, 2006.

LOCATION: 1923-25 Madison Street; St. Louis Place; Saint Louis, Missouri
CURRENT OWNER: Blairmont Associates LC

Date of photograph: November 23, 2006.

LOCATION: 2533 Madison Street; St. Louis Place; Saint Louis, Missouri
CURRENT OWNER: MLK 3000 LLC


Date of photograph: November 23, 2006.

LOCATION: 2331 Maiden Lane; St. Louis Place; Saint Louis, Missouri
CURRENT OWNER: MLK 3000 LLC


Date of photograph: September 21, 2006.

LOCATION: 2336 North Market Street; St. Louis Place; Saint Louis, Missouri
CURRENT OWNER: N & G Ventures LC


Date of photograph: September 21, 2006.

LOCATION: 2548 North Market Street; St. Louis Place; Saint Louis, Missouri
CURRENT OWNER: N & G Ventures LC

LOCATION: 2552 North Market Street; St. Louis Place; Saint Louis, Missouri
CURRENT OWNER: N & G Ventures LC


Date of photograph: September 14, 2006.

LOCATION: 2309 University Avenue; St. Louis Place; Saint Louis, Missouri
CURRENT OWNER: Blairmont Associates LC

Categories
North St. Louis Northside Regeneration St. Louis Place

Blairmont: 1900 Block of Wright Street

Part of the Photographic Survey of Blairmont Buildings.


Date of photograph: June 9, 2006.

LOCATION: 1921 Wright Street; St. Louis Place; Saint Louis, Missouri
CURRENT OWNER: VHS Partners LLC

Building is at left. Date of photograph: June 9, 2006.

LOCATION: 1923 Wright Street; St. Louis Place; Saint Louis, Missouri
CURRENT OWNER: Sheridan Place LC

Date of photograph: June 9, 2006.

LOCATION: 1929 Wright Street; St. Louis Place; Saint Louis, Missouri
CURRENT OWNER: Sheridan Place LC


Date of photograph: June 9, 2006.

LOCATION: 1941 Wright Street; St. Louis Place; Saint Louis, Missouri
CURRENT OWNER: Sheridan Place LC

Categories
Columbus Square JeffVanderLou North St. Louis Northside Regeneration Old North St. Louis Place

Photographic Survey of Blairmont Buildings

by Michael R. Allen and Claire Nowak-Boyd

2933 Montgomery Street, owned by Sheridan Place LC.

Wonder what exactly we keep talking about when we bemoan the treatment of historic north side buildings by the “Blairmont” companies?

Now you can see for yourself by looking at our photographic survey of their buildings. This project is a work in progress, and will be greatly expanded, but already the survey includes recent photographs of over 50 of their buildings in Old North St. Louis, Columbus Square, JeffVanderLou and St. Louis Place.

Columbus Square

1617 N. 10th Street

JeffVanderLou

2400-2500 Block of Coleman Street

2900 Block of Montgomery Street

Other JeffVanderLouBuildings

2629 St. Louis Avenue

2800 Block of St. Louis Avenue

Old North St. Louis

The Old North Buildings

St. Louis Place

1900 Block of Wright Street

Some of the St. Louis Place Buildings

St. Louis Avenue Buildings in St. Louis Place

Categories
North St. Louis Northside Regeneration St. Louis Place

Who Would Destroy This Building?

by Michael R. Allen

Here’s the view from the alley of the east wall of the former funeral home at 1930 St. Louis Avenue. Brick rustlers have been taking the wall down in recent weeks, but the building has been unsecured for months. Read the citizen complaint log here.

The building is owned by N & G Ventures LC, a Missouri corporation in which developer Paul McKee has reported a 30% ownership interest.

Obviously, the corporation has no interest in preserving this building or it would put its resources into securing it — or actively seek a buyer who was willing to safeguard this beautiful building.

Here’s the front view:

To watch the loss of this beauty on a daily basis is something that I hope most readers never have to endure. Who could own this building and not want to cherish it? I suppose that Americans are a callous breed when it comes to appreciation of great architecture, but no cynicism takes away the fact that myself and many other residents here have to watch this wonderful building die.

Categories
JeffVanderLou North St. Louis Northside Regeneration Old North St. Louis Place

Strange Purchases on the Near Northside — Is There a Plan?

by Michael R. Allen

On October 13, the city recorded the quit-claim transfer of a sliver of property on Cass Avenue just east of the Greyhound station from Iron Horse Resources of O’Fallon, Illinois to Noble Development Company LLC. This parcel is the tunnel approach section of the right-of-way of the former Illinois Terminal Railroad’s electric interurban railroad.

The interurban ceased its runs in the 1950s, and this right-of-way has been vacant ever since. Currently, the section of the interurban line that ran on an elevated trestle to the McKinley Bridge is being converted into a trail. The “tunnel” section under Tucker Boulevard will be filled in by the city so that improvements can be made to Tucker.

Noble Development Company LLC is, of course, part of the “Blairmont” family of real estate companies. Supposedly a great mystery to city officials, these companies have a great knack for purchasing property that is strategic to various public works initiatives or urban planning projects. I find it very difficult to fathom that city leaders would let a parcel like the old Terminal Railroad right-of-way section slip through their fingers when it is needed for two large projects that are underway.

Is it possible that the transfer of the land to Noble Development Company was a result sought by someone in city government and that the mysterious company is holding the parcel and others in accord with a master plan for the near northside? I’m not sure, but it seems possible. Until city leaders address the strange property acquisition pattern of these companies, people are going to be led to such conclusions.

Hopefully, rehabbers and business owners on the near north side will stand their ground and avoid panic as rumors float. What a shame that as Old North St. Louis gains development traction the Blairmont scheme emerges without comment from the mayor or others who could instill confidence.

Categories
JeffVanderLou North St. Louis Northside Regeneration Old North St. Louis Place

MLK 3000: Not the Latest MC on the Scene

by Michael R. Allen

On September 19 and 20, the city recorded sales of properties owned by Ecology of Absence favorites N & G Ventures and Path Enterprises Company to MLK 3000 LLC, a corporation registered through the CT Corporation System office in Clayton and whose manager is apparently Harvey Noble, according to deeds of trust filed with the Recorder of Deeds’ office. Noble is a partner in Eagle Realty Company with Steven Goldman, registered agent for N & G Ventures.

The Missouri Secretary of State’s website reports that MLK 3000 LLC was chartered on March 31, 2006.

N & G sold the parcels at 2929, 2931 and 2633 Hebert; 2331 and 2543 Maiden Lane; 2528 St. Louis; 2721 Dodier; 2506 University; and 3114 and 3116 Glasgow. Path sold the parcels at 1435 through 1449 Benton Street in Old North St. Louis (most of the former Al’s Auto Sales lot). According to deeds of trust, the total purchase price for these properties is over $890,000.

Northsiders everywhere should thank MLK 3000 LLC for the new comps on the market.