What Will Become of 5286 Page in Academy? 1:51 PM

Photograph courtesy of Ecology of Absence.

5286 Page will be a topic of discussion at a June 3 Planning Commission public meeting.

If you recall, the Berean Seventh Day Adventist Church wants the building demolished and has repeatedly sought the permit to do so through the Preservation Board. They were most recently denied in January of 2008.

So why is this back up for discussion? Is the church trying to circumvent the Preservation Board decision without appealing or sending the case to court?

Preservation Board Meeting, January 26, 2009 - Outcome 2:45 PM

First of all, does anyone know where, besides Landmarks Association, that I can find Board meeting minutes online? The results of these meetings seem like information that should be more public--meaning, put online.

I happened to call the Board yesterday to find out about the fate of three buildings proposed for demolition.

1108-10 Mallinckrodt was not given consideration since the owner did not show up.

Apparently, the rear of the structure has collapsed. Despite this, the other walls remain solid. Adjacent propert owners complain of continual debris on account of this building and would like to see it come down. Concerned for the demolition of historic properties in his Ward, Third Ward Alderman Freeman Bosley, Sr. would like to see the building remain standing.

I applaud the alderman's commitment to see this 1892 building be preserved. I hope that he can work with the nearby residents to assuage their concerns. I believe that the city should eminent domain the property, secure it, and auction it off at a later date. The Hyde Park Historic District cannot afford another gap, especially so close to Interstate 70.

Luckily, 5214-16 Kensington in Academy was denied a demolition permit.

Finally, 7001-03 S. Broadway in Carondelet was approved a demolition permit.

This is a shame, particularly due to the age and size of the building. St. Louis has very few structures remaining from the antebellum period. This one was constructed in 1857. By virtue of that fact, it should likely be left alone. Yet, its inobtrusive size makes this demolition even more puzzling. It rests at the edge of the lot, actually facing Quincy and not Broadway--the city demolished the main structure in 2000 under an emergency demo permit.

The CRO staff report notes that the owner wishes to "clear the lot for future development". Considering that, fairly recently, a building used to be on this lot in front of the tiny structure in question, why is it that the original footprint of this already demolished building cannot be used for this unclear "future" development?

The New Orleans preservation agency, called the Historic Districts and Landmarks Commission (HDLC), does not allow demolition without a redevelopment plan having been submitted first. Further, if the plan is for a parking lot, it is usually denied. If the parking or other lesser use happens to be approved, it is reassessed each year to determine if parking is needed and if there are no other development plans. Urbanistically speaking, this just makes sense. The St. Louis Preservation Board should not approve any demolition without a submitted statement of purpose and redevelopment plan.

From a preservationist standpoint, it pains me to see the loss of an early Carondelet structure--even if it has been altered with permastone.

Recall that Steins Row, another one-story rowhouse from the 1850s, was almost knocked down for a service station.

I already emailed Matt Villa, 11th Ward Alderman, urging him to deny this demo, but received no word back. The application notes that he supported the destrution of 7001 S. Broadway.

On this month's Preservation Board agenda: 11:14 PM

The chopping block (translation: requested demo's):

5412-14 Kensington, in the Academy Neighborhood

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Sigh. Academy is one of the North Side's shining stars for preservation. There are troubled blocks, however, and this demo certainly looks unnecessary from this circa 2007 Google Streetview. Has anything changed since then?

7001 S. Broadway, in Carondelet

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I can't get a good view of this one, but the city says it was constructed in 1856. Really...? I don't care how unattractive it is. It should not be touched.

The last demolition proposed, at 1108-10 Mallinckrodt, is perhaps the most egregious. It's that two-story, four family building so typical of the Near North Side. It could provide affordable housing or expensive condo units, depending on the pace of improvement of the surrounding Hyde Park neighborhood. One thing is for certain though--with demolition, this block, and this very historic neighborhood will suffer greatly with this incremental, yet tremendous loss.

When will the residents of St. Louis recognize the value of historic structures--their embedded energy and future value? Why does St. Louis--almost barring any others--have some of the most vacant lots in the entire country? Surely, other cities have experienced struggles to maintain a built environment nearly sacked by depopulation and disinvestment. Why does St. Louis always offer the same solution? Has it ever worked?

I certainly hope the Board will deny these unnecessary demolitions. After the tremendously wasteful demo of the castle-like multi-family on Shenandoah mentioned in the previous post, the City of St. Louis simply cannot afford even one more vacant lot. They add up, and they chip away at the image of St. Louis so many need to see more clearly--the urban one, with a scarcity of gaping vacant holes and a density of buildings and people.

Please, if you're like me and are out of town and cannot make it to the meeting, be sure to email the Preservation Board and express your concerns: BufordA@stlouiscity.com.

If you're in town and available, please attend the meeting on Monday, January 26, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. The location of the meeting is 1015 Locust, Suite 1200.

Demolitions in Shaw, Academy, and St. Louis Place on this month's Preservation Board agenda 10:41 PM

See for yourself here.

What's really interesting is the Shaw property, on the 3900 block of Shenandoah. Sure, the building's roof is collapsed and it's in terrible shape. But the facade is prime for saving. Does the Board ever recommend this? Has something else happened to this formerly robust multifamily since Google Streetview rolled through in 2007?


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The proposed demolition in Academy, at 5115 Cates, is potentially damaging to a North Side neighborhood notable for its intactness. Despite this fact, certain blocks in Academy have witnessed one too many demolitions. The 5100 block of Cates has lost somewhere between five and eight structures from its blockfaces over the years. I'm not sure what the present state of this handsome building (below) is, but I would hope that demolition would be the last of last resorts.


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There's another proposed demo on the 1800 block of Warren in the Columbia House/Brewery National Register District. Unfortunately, I can't get a good image of this building, save for a Bird's Eye view through Maps.Live.Com. Again, it looks like one of the many gratuitous ("It's empty. Why not?) St. Louis demos.

It's small, incremental loss that compromises neighborhoods. Shaw may be safe in the long run--but this loss will certainly damage the integrity of the block. Ditto for Academy on Cates.

Despicable. 1:32 AM

A gem of a commercial building on Page--something north St. Louis cannot afford to lose--will see the wrecking ball. The owner--the wealthy Roberts Brothers, proponents of investment in the north side--could have prevented this terrific loss to the built environment.

When will our leaders, be they civic, political, developers, investors, realize that preservation is St. Louis's most proven economic development? Where would the Washington Avenue Loft District or Old North St. Louis be if they'd cleared all of their buildings due to deferred maintenance?

It is wrong to deprive this corner of this building. It is wrong for the surrounding neighborhoods to continue to lose the infrastructure that could someday (further) stabilize them.

For more, visit Ecology of Absence (where the photo below came from as well). See the earlier EOA post as well.



What can I do other than email and call? I just don't know.