Categories
North St. Louis Preservation Board The Ville

Talking Past Each Other?

by Michael R. Allen

Here is the written part of my testimony to the Preservation Board concerning the “Doctor’s Building” at 4635 Martin Luther King Drive in The Ville, a contributing resources to the pending Wagoner Place Historic District. (Read more here.) The board denied a demolition permit for the building on appeal at its meeting on Monday. The pastor of the church that owns the building had earlier involved Elliot Davis’ brash “You Paid For It” show to broadcast his claim that by doing its job, the Cultural Resources Office is a waste of tax dollars. Davis’ report did not matter that the church’s wrecking contractor had started demolition without a permit.

Thankfully, with the offer of Alderman Sam Moore (D-4th) to swap land for the parking the pastor seeks, the demolition denial should cause no ruffled feathers. However, forging such a compromise at the very last minute seems like a difficult way to deal with situations like this. There must be a better way to make sure that city preservation laws are recognized by all citizens. The laws are not designed to be punitive, but to ensure that our shared architectural heritage is handled responsibly by present owners. Ignorance of the laws breeds polarization, not understanding. I can make testimony like this forever, but without the foundation of education on preservation as a cultural good, there will be a gap between me and property owners like the pastor. Rear-guard preservation activism is only designed to spare specific buildings. Hearts and minds should be swayed some other way, and I hope to work with others — including many aldermen and pastors — to make that happen.

My words from Monday:

Staff is correct; the so-called Doctors Building does not meet the criteria for demolition established under ordinance.

Under city law, thankfully, demolition is not an entitlement. This Board is enabled to uphold the physical integrity of this city’s buildings and historic districts at its discretion. We have a process that mostly works. Key to that process is respect for the actual laws at hand.

The applicant illegally began demolition of this building, causing damage that he has broadcast on television as reason why the building is unsound and fit for demolition. However, the Building Commissioner quickly stopped the work and further damage has been avoided. The Building Commissioner notably did not issue an emergency demolition order, meaning that the building’s condition even after demolition began was not so unsound as to require immediate demolition.

The best evidence presented so far by the applicant is damage inflicted through illegal demolition. Surely the Board will take that evidence with one thousand grains of salt.

In the current state, the building retains architectural integrity as well as physically sound condition defined in the Preservation ordinance and interpreted by the Building Division. Once it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the Wagoner Place Historic District, rehabilitation tax credits are available to address the building’s actual problems (none of which threaten it structurally).

That makes sense to most readers of this blog. However, the testimony was made in a specific context in which understanding is a scarcity. Somehow, with this issue and the broader Ville issue, we found that understanding at the Preservation Board on Monday. Usually, we aren’t that fortunate.

Categories
Demolition Fox Park North St. Louis Preservation Board South St. Louis The Ville

Summary of Monday’s Preservation Board Meeting

by Michael R. Allen

On Monday, the Preservation Board met. Commissioners John Burse, Mike Killeen, David Richardson, Mary Johnson, Anthony Robinson, Alderman Terry Kennedy and Richard Callow were present. Follow along with the agenda published here; that includes detailed reports on all items.

Here is a summary of the proceedings:

PRELIMINARY REVIEW – DEMOLITION

The Ville: In the end, the Board voted 4-3 to accept staff recommendation to demolish eleven homes in the The Ville Historic District. Commissioners Kennedy, Richardson and Johnson voted “yea” while Commissioners Robinson, Killeen and Burse voted “nay.” Chairman Callow broke the tie by voting “yea.” During testimony, Alderman Sam Moore stated he would just as gladly mothball the buildings as tear them down, as long as something was done. He actually consented to staff recommendation after back-and-forth with Cultural Resources Director Kate Shea.

3911 & 3961 Blair: After rejecting a motion by Kennedy to approve demolition of both houses, the Board voted 4-1 (Killeen dissenting) to approve demolition of 3911 and deny demolition of 3961 Blair. Alderman Freeman Bosley, Sr. already broke his earlier promise to support no further demolition in the Hyde Park Historic District and urged approval of both, especially 3911 which — if the city sells the lot to a homeowner — will become the site of a gazebo, circle drive and swimming pool for a house next door.

PRELIMINARY REVIEW – NEW CONSTRUCTION

Both items approved with staff stipulations. The number of permits this month was atypically low.

APPEALS OF STAFF DENIALS

5286-98 Page Boulevard: Owners obtained a continuance; matter not considered.

4635 Martin Luther King Drive: This controversial issue, subject of a recent “You Paid for It” segment on Fox 2, died down after Alderman Moore promised a land swap with the church seeking demolition. Moore is in favor of preserving the so-called Doctor’s Building. The Board unanimously denied the appeal, and the pastor stated he would pursue the swap to get parking space elsewhere.

7416 Vermont Avenue: The Board unanimously denied the appeal of a church seeking to demolish a historic parsonage in Carondelet.

NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATIONS

The Board approved all nominations to the National Register of Historic Places.

Categories
Central West End Fire

Wicke Auto Body Building Burns

by Michael R. Allen

One of the two historic buildings occupied by Wicke Auto Body in the Central West End burned this afternoon in a spectacular blaze. The 1920s-era one-story brick garage building with steel bow-truss roof is located in the 400 block of Newstead just south of Olive Street.  Television station KMOV has raw footage here here.

(Thanks to Andrew Faulkner for the alert.)

Categories
Events Midtown

Rally for Historical Preservation and Urbanism

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Douglas Charles Duckworth
Phone: 566-3465
Email: dcdb66@umsl.edu

Date: July 26th 2007

Once again there will be a rally protesting Lawrence Biondi’s demolition of historical buildings within Midtown and the burgeoning Locust Business District. The last two attempts at dissent were cut short due to inclement weather; however this Thursday the 26th many will rally at the intersection of Locust and Josephine Baker Boulevard. Please arrive by 5:30 PM. At 6PM we will be walking from the remnants of the Livery Stable to the soon to be demolished Second Empire mansion at 3740 Lindell. Show your opposition to the annihilation of historical buildings as they represent St. Louis’ unique built environment and history! Inform Biondi and the political machine that needlessly bulldozing the built environment is not a policy which will revitalize St. Louis.

St. Louis City has a precedent of demolition extending back decades. The practice is ingrained within its political culture. The argument for demolition, specifically of large areas, was that certain neighborhoods were blighted slums thus their redevelopment was in the interest of the City. In fact Soulard was supposed to be demolished per the 1947 City Plan. These large scale projects, called “urban renewal,” were designed to provide new housing, office space, and industrial, that would allegedly offset population losses due to suburbanization. They failed miserably as the City continued its depopulation.

Considering the former Livery Stable, the argument for demolition was that surface parking must be provided for SLU’s new arena. In reality, there is plenty of parking available via on-street, surface, and garage parking. Moreover, the benefit of providing parking does not outweigh the loss of St. Louis’ unique built environment. Readily apparent throughout St. Louis City is our plethora of parking garages and lots, many of which supplanted a historical building through demolition. Suburbanites visit the City for a ball game, concert, or other event; yet afterwards the sidewalks are devoid of pedestrian life. The goal of the establishment should be a change of policy. Both large scale urban renewal and demolition for parking are failed policies. What didn’t work in the past should not be repeated.

There is a better solution. The City will gain residents by concentrating resources on rehabbing the built environment. Ironically, after decades of decline, Mayor Francis G. Slay and others in power cite the Washington Avenue rehab boom, and other transitioning neighborhoods, as explanation for the City’s recent population increase. Why is needless demolition acceptable in some areas when rehabilitation of the built environment has had such positive benefits elsewhere? Specifically, within Grand Center, concentration on rehabilitation and new infill construction would bring pedestrian life. With such activity comes a market for storefront retail and commerce. The end result is that Grand Center lives up to its official name, The Intersection of Art and Life, rather than its current reality: The Intersection of Art and Death.

Pedestrian traffic facilitated through urban residential and commercial development provides SLU with patrons to their new arena without the construction of parking. Individuals would simply walk from where they live or work. They could even use a bike. Finally, the rehabilitation of our built environment would provide the City a higher tax yield. These monies could fund mass transit expansion within the City, thus lessening the need for parking. The possibilities are endless, yet are utterly destroyed when a viable historical building is demolished. The Livery Stable is gone, but the mansion at 3740 Lindell, which contributes to the Midtown National Register Historic District, can be saved. Moreover, a message must be sent: St. Louis should have higher standards.

After the rally we will be walking across Lindell to the Moolah, which was masterfully rehabbed in 2004, for our monthly discussion of politics, urbanism, preservation, and architecture. This is the perfect opportunity to meet fellow activists and make new friends. Be sure to attend the rally and the social gathering afterwards. The future of St. Louis City is being decided today. Make sure it does not look like O’Fallon. Your children will thank you.

Categories
National Register North St. Louis Preservation Board The Ville

Trick Question Regarding the Ville Demolitions

by Michael R. Allen

What kind of careful decisions about historic preservation can the city’s Preservation Board make when faced with an application to demolish 39 different buildings in one neighborhood?

That’s the case tomorrow, when the Board will consider Alderman Sam Moore’s (D-4th) aggressive push to wreck 39 buildings scattered throughout the Ville neighborhood. The city’s Cultural Resources Office staff has approved some permits for demolition on buildings that barely exist. That’s fine. But the remaining 39 buildings deserve more than even one hour’s hearing by the Board.

Much of the Ville lies within a city historic district, but very little is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The staff of CRO have worked on several successful National Register nomination in the last two years, but more are possible. Not enough is know yet about future nominations to know what buildings on Alderman Moore’s list are potentially contributing resources to future districts. Caution is needed, but unfortunately the Preservation Board is bound to decide the fate of these buildings in a rather uncautious manner.

Categories
Events Hyde Park North St. Louis People

Today’s Rehabbers’ Club Meeting in Hyde Park

by Michael R. Allen

Under the cover of great weather, this morning the Rehabbers’ Club made its way to Hyde Park for its monthly meeting. The meetings follow a show-and-tell format designed to expose city residents to dedicated rehabbers and developers, unique projects and the city’s many fantastic neighborhoods.

Today, the meeting began at the Friedens United Church of Christ Fellowship Hall at 19th and Newhouse, where Friedens Neighborhood Foundation YouthBuild Program Director Brian Marston discussed the new YouthBuild academy and its rehabilitation of the church’s long-vacant historic school building. Afterwards, I gave a short walking tour that went through the park and ended at what will be a spectacular rehabilitation project: developer Peter George’s rebuilding of the Nord St. Louis Turnverein.

Included on the tour was a garden that Friedens has dedicated in honor of Marti Frumhoff, founder of the Rehabbers’ Club as well as the Publishing Group.

While attendance was atypically low, typical of summer meetings, the crowd’s mix was noteworthy: a former president of Metropolis, a 37-year resident of Hyde Park, a micro-developer who is taking on the difficult rehab of five historic buildings in Old North, one of the earliest members of the Rehabbers’ Club, a Riverfront Times reporter, a resident of Carondelet, a young family seeking to buy and rehab in Hyde Park and myself. Marti’s desire to connect all of us continues to realize success.

Categories
Missouri Legislature North St. Louis Northside Regeneration

Distressed Areas Land Assemblage Tax Credit Act Back, Still Seems to Benefit Only McKee

by Michael R. Allen

On Monday, Missouri House Speaker Rod Jetton convened a bipartisan group of House leaders to forge a compromise version of the controversial economic development bill (HB 327) that Governor Matt Blunt vetoed. The new bill, which may be heard by the end of August or in September during a special “veto session,” includes a modified version of the Distressed Areas Land Assemblage Tax Credit Act.

The modified version has reduced overall eligible project size to 50 acres, a move that still seems to benefit only developer Paul J. McKee, Jr.’s north side land assemblage project while bailing McKee out from the political problems of pursuing a larger plan. No other developer could qualify for the revised version, which seems even more helpful to McKee’ project than before while recuperating some of the rhetoric of critics of the Distressed Areas Land Assemblage Tax Credit Act

Categories
North St. Louis Preservation Board The Ville

Mayor Slay Makes Case for Preserving Doctor’s Building in the Ville

by Michael R. Allen

MayorSlay.com is ahead of Ecology of Absence in making the case for preservation of at least one of the buildings in the Ville whose fate will be considered at Monday’s Preservation Board meeting. I’m certainly not complaining.

Writing about the Doctor’s Building, the mayoral voice states:

After neighbors and the alderman noticed the demo and reported it, the City’s buildings inspectors ordered the owner to stop. If he wishes to continue, the building’s owner will have to make a persuasive case for demolition before the Preservation Board.

Given its place in our history and the fact the federal historic designation makes tax credits available for the building’s rehabilitation, I can’t imagine what that case would be.

Read more here.

Categories
People

We Need More People Like NiNi Harris

by Michael R. Allen

This past Sunday, people flocked to the St. Stanislaus Kostka Church complex on North 20th Street for their annual Summer Picnic. Many of these people were there to purchase the new book Unyielding Spirit: The History of the Polish People in St. Louis and meet its author, historian NiNi Harris. NiNi’s book signing line was steady throughout the day.

Unyielding Spirit was definitely the main attraction, but NiNi is worth a lot of attention. Over the last thirty years, NiNi has gained a vast knowledge of the people and places of this city, especially her native south St. Louis. Her recall is quick, and her details usually precisely remembered. She likes to tell good stories, too — the hallmark of a great historian. NiNi seems possessed by a desire to see that the people and places of this city live forever.

NiNi shares both knowledge and passion through frequent walking tours, lectures, seven books, over 600 articles and what must be millions of conversations. The remarkable thing is that she is self-employed, having never sought the safety and salary of nonprofits, government or the other places historians’ circumstances usually lead them.

Above all, NiNi remains approachable and joyful about her work — and modest. She actually called me on Monday to thank me for stopping by her book signing.  (Unyielding Spirit is available for sale through St. Stanislaus Kostka and at the Chatillon-DeMenil House shop.)

Categories
Media People

Reading

SLU’s Long, Slow Mistake (Built St. Louis): Rob Powers discusses the demolition of the livery stable on Locust Street.

Sunset Hills Teardown, Revised (B.E.L.T.): Toby Weiss finally gets to repost her tribute to the Brinkop House — because it has a new owner who is renovating it!

Steal Das Book (Riverfront Times): Kathleen Mclaughlin details the complicated question of the provenance of a book that a German museum wants back from a St. Louis book dealer.