Preservation Research Officeby Michael R. Allen
by Michael R. Allen
In an article in today’s Peoria Journal-Star, Illinois’ new Governor Pat Quinn (D) pledges to reopen the closed Illinois state parks and historic sites. Furthermore, he indicates that he understands why the closures ordered by ousted Governor Rod Blagojevich (D) were foolish:
Nature-based and historic-based tourism are the fast-growing growing types of U.S. tourism, Quinn said. The dollars generated by tourism outweigh the cost of running the parks and historic sites, he said, adding that his administration somehow would find the money to reopen them.
“You squeeze a nickel and lose a half-dollar. That’s not smart government,” he said.
Quinn will reopen the closed sites “with dispatch.”
by Michael R. Allen
This morning I spied this sign in a storefront transom at 1235 Washington Avenue downtown (the building dubbed the “Avenida” by its developers). The sign reads “Kitty Kay Gloves: For Women Who C—–.” Kitty Kay was a popular twentieth century manufacturer of women’s gloves and accesories, but I don’t know how the tagline ends. Care? Count? Anyone know?
by Michael R. Allen
My latest KWMU commentary is online here.
by Michael R. Allen
At tonight’s meeting of the St. Louis Public Schools’ (SLPS) Special Administrative Board (SAB), consultants presented a proposed Facilities Management Plan that calls for closing 29 schools. Speaking to a packed house at the Vashon High School auditorium, consultants from MGT of America summarized the findings of a Comprehensive Facilities Review as well as their recommendations for six phases of closures of, moves between and major renovation work at schools. The biggest — and possibly only — relief was that none of the city’s four high schools will close.
The full text of the report is online here.
Here is the list of 18 outright closures recommended in phase one:
Ashland Branch
Baden
Bunche
Clark (included in National Register Historic District)
Des Peres
Gallaudet
Henry
Langston
L’Overture
Mark Twain
Mallinckrodt
Meramec
Nottingham (CAJT)
Scruggs
Shepard (included in National Register Historic District)
Stevens
Turner (listed in National Register of Historic Places)
Meda P. Washington
In phase three, the following schools would be closed:
Ames (included in National Register Historic District)
Cote Brilliante
Hickey
Mann (listed in National Register of Historic Places)
Pruitt
Shaw
Sherman
Shenandoah (included in National Register Historic District)
Simmons (listed in National Register of Historic Places)
These closures include one of the most troubling parts of the plan: recommendation of new elementary schools to replace clusters of three historic schools each on the north (Cote Brilliante, Hickey, Simmons) and south (Mann, Shenadoah, Shepard) sides. Shaw and Ames would combine in the present Blewett Middle School.
In phase four, the Northwest Law Academy building, an unmemorable edifice, would close. Gateway IT would follow in phase five. Furthermore, no currently closed schools — inlcuding Cleveland High School — would reopen.
Most of the schools on the closure list are historic buildings designed by school architects William B. Ittner and Rockwell Milligan.
by Michael R. Allen
The full text of the National Register of Historic Places nomination for the Chuck Berry House, located at 3137 Whittier in the Greater Ville, is now online. Read the nomination here.
Among the features of the house noted in the nomination is the plain concrete block addition in the rear. Why is that addition so special? Because Chuck Berry himself had it built while he owned the house, making it the music legend’s first foray into architecture.
by Michael R. Allen
This colorized postcard of Broadway dates to around 1900 and shows a downtown street populated mostly by three- or four-story commercial buildings. The view is looking northeast from a point just north of Pine Street on the west side of Broadway. Even at this time, however, Broadway and its eastern neighbor Fourth Street were home to dozens of banks and financial firms. These streets comprised the city’s financial district.
Some notable buildings seen here are the St. Louis Post-Dispatch building (later the printing plant after the paper’s move to 1139 Olive Street in 1917) and the National bank of Commerce Building directly north of the newspaper building. The building with the curved corner across the street is the Commonwealth Trust Company Building. Further north, at St. Charles Street and much larger than surrounding buildings, is the B. Nugent and Son Dry Goods Company Building. The array of awnings on all floors of these buildings also stands out.
by Michael R. Allen
I was looking through old photographs and found this one, taken in June 2004. The subject matter is the peculiar corner storefront once located at the southeast corner of Maffitt and Lambdin avenues in the Ville. (The address properly is 4282 Maffitt Avenue.) The Land Reutilization Authority still owns the lot on which the store buidling and a smaller concrete block building on the alley stood, and has owned the lot since at least 1989.
As the photograph indicates, a fire had struck the building and eaten much of its structural timbers, flooring and roof sheathing. What testament to our city’s masonry that the walls held despite the loss of many joists. The building truly was an exquisite wreck. I remember looking down into the basement from where the corner stoop would have been, and seeing charred wood from the upper levels atop years of accumulated debris. A man walking by said that demolition was on the way. He was proven right when the Building Division issued its demolition permits in January 2005.
The building had been vacant nearly twenty years at that point, although its architectural character was still evident. The chamfered, recessed entrance tucked under the projecting corner bay was a wonderful way to both call attention to the commercial tenant and shelter those entering and leaving the store. The tiled, sloped third floor with its timbered dormer was another fine trait. There aren’t many corner storefront buildings like this in the city, and we will never know for sure how many there ever were.
The Special Administrative Board of the St. Louis Public Schools will hear recommendations by MGT of America, Inc. on the future use of district schools during the board meeting on Thursday, January 29, 6:00 p.m., at Vashon High School, 3035 Cass Ave.
All community members are invited to attend this open meeting to hear this much-anticipated report firsthand. However, due to the anticipated length of the MGT presentation, there will be no public comments taken at this meeting.
The District will hold two special community forums for public comments – Wednesday, February 4, from 6:00p.m. – 8:00p.m. at Roosevelt High School, 3230 Hartford St., and Saturday February 7, from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at Vashon High School, 3035 Cass Ave.
Public comments may also be submitted via the Internet starting Friday, January 30, by visiting http://www.slps.org. The District will accept comments on the MGT presentation via the Internet through February 8.
For more information, please call 314-345-2367.
by Michael R. Allen
The Post-Dispatch reports that the former Christian Brothers High School on Clayton Road is threatened with demolition.