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North St. Louis Old North This Building Matters

This Building Matters #1: 1914 & 1916 Palm Street, Old North

Preservation Research Office is pleased to present the first episode of a regular video series called This Building Matters. The premise is simple: Preservation is something lots of of people care about and practice in their daily lives. This series documents the everyday experiences of historic preservation in St. Louis, and the preservationists in our communities across the region. The format is simple and spontaneous — these episodes come from our field work, and may be unrehearsed. After all, we run into people doing good work every day.

For our first effort, we talked to Stefene Russell about two historic houses on her block in Old North St. Louis. Stefene lives across the street and is rehabbing a small house that, along with the two houses shown here, is one of the three remaining buildings on the south side of the 1900 block of Palm Street. Their loss would change the lives of Stefene and her neighbors forever. [Note: Turn up the volume; our audio skills are young.]

If you have an idea for the series, let us know by posting a comment or sending Michael Allen a note at michael@preservationresearch.com. Thanks for watching!

3 replies on “This Building Matters #1: 1914 & 1916 Palm Street, Old North”

Couldn’t agree more. I wish people like Stefene who see the real value of the city were in local government, board of aldermen, planning commission etc

I don’t have to tell you Micheal saving the building with the collapsed roof is unlikely unless a crusader gets hold of it. That being said some context up and down the street and behind would have helped. I know this area pretty well, but it has been months, if not years since I have been on Palm Street. I went to Goggle maps, not much lef is there?

I was able to get a side view of the building without a roof. I was involved in rebuilding a gable like that on 9th Str in Soulard quite a few years back, the other gable was against the next door building. I also know of a building on Vulcan in Carondelet where the gables are gone but a flat roof was put on to stabilize the structure, although it is not as damaged as this building. (around 7700 Vulcan, couple of early 19th stone cottages next door).

If you go down that way check out South Broadway and Nagel, an old block long storefront is condemned (it has signs all over),it was occupied not long ago so I’m not sure of the situation but the building looks to be in good shape.

Getting back to Palm, is this area controlled by Paul McKee?

Is this in the regeneration area of Paul McKee? If so doesn’t McKee have first call on this property? Either way, this is exactly what the lack of a community based urban plan highlights. With a plan there would be an understanding of how these two buildings will be handled and reused.

I saw photo’s today of the disgraceful deterioration of the Clemens House. McKee is a hack. An influential one to be sure. He is a symbol of the corruption of the whole system. I wonder how many “rehabs” like the Palm buildings and the Clemens House McKee has done. My guess is zero.

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