Daily Dose of Blairmont 13

• 2506 University Street

February 2008

What's the story here?

What happened to the last residents of this sharply painted little cottage, purchased by "MLK 3000 LLC" in September 2006? Were they rushed out in such a hurry that there was no time to take down the Christmas decorations?

Links:

• 2506 University at the City Assessor's database
  
• Aerial view from Maps.Live.com
  
• More on Blairmont

Daily Dose of Blairmont 12

• 2341-2343 University Street

June 2002. Photograph by Kevin Keiffer.

Sometimes, a house is more than just a house.


March 2007. 2341 is on the right.

Sometimes, a house is part of a streetscape, part of a cohesive sequence of buildings that relate to one another and reinforce each other's designs. In the densely built environment of a historic city neighborhood, this is particularly true. Just as a full set of teeth forms a beautiful smile, so too does a complete set of buildings create a pleasing streetscape.

It is a terrible thing when a building is lost from such a sequence -- the equivalent of punching out a tooth.

What, then will become of this row if 2341 University is allowed to continue sitting vacant, as it has for many years? Blairmont Assoociates Ltd. purchased it in May 2006, and have done nothing to improve the building's condition or help guarantee its survival.


March 2007. 2341 is in the center.

Will this row, like so much around it, become nothing more than a memory, leaving no trace of what this neighborhood once was?

Update, July 23, 2008: The worst has come to be; the tooth is being punched out. Michael Allen reports on the demolition of this lovely building.

Links:

• 2341 University at the City Assessor's database
  
• Aerial view from Maps.Live.com
  
• More on Blairmont

Daily Dose of Blairmont 11

• 1512 Montgomery Avenue

If I were this house, I'd be very, very nervous.


Left: March 2003; right: March 2007

It wouldn't simply be the fact that I'd developed a noticeable tilt. Nor would it be the encroaching suburban-style development along W. Florissant Avenue to my east, including the Church's Fried Chicken parking lot directly abutting my property line (the presence of which just might have something to do with why that tilt developed in the first place.)



No, if I were this house, what would really have me fearing for my life was the fact that in August, 2005, I was purchased by Blairmont Associates Ltd. Co, boarded up and left uninhabited. For houses my age, in my neighborhood, that's a proven kiss of death.



Update, August 20, 2008: As reported by Ecology of Absence, the house's east gable collapsed into the adjacent parking lot during a recent storm. Thankfully, nobody was killed.

Links:

• 1512 Montgomery at the City Assessor's database
  
• Aerial view from Maps.Live.com
  
• More on Blairmont

Daily Dose of Blairmont 10

This trio of houses stands on Sheridan Avenue, south of Cass in the southern reaches of the JeffVanderLou area. Can you guess which one doesn't belong to Blairmont?

Left to right:

• 2910 Sheridan Avenue
  
• 2916 Sheridan Avenue (N & G Ventures, LC, August 2005)
  
• 2918 Sheridan Avenue (N & G Ventures, LC, April 2006)

The intact, maintained, occupied house, the one without any raggedy brickwork or broken windows, is owned by another local real estate company, called JVL Renaissance 1 LP. Like Blairmont, they own a lot of property in this area. Unlike Blairmont, they don't try to hide it under multiple shell company names. Also unlike Blairmont, most of their properties, from the outside at least, are in good condition, and have people living in them.

Oh, sure, they own a couple of board-ups, too. It's probably inevitable in this area. But considering they don't seem to be actively kicking out tenants, or letting brick rustlers destroy their buildings, or hiding who they are, or buying up every property they can lay hands on, or letting innumerable historic buildings turn into ruins.... I'm willing to cut 'em a little slack.

Links:

2916 Sheridan at the City Assessor's database

Aerial view from Maps.Live.com

More on Blairmont

Back online

I had some blog troubles for a bit. If you're on a blog feed and this is the first Built St. Louis post you've seen lately, then things were screwed up for a while, and should be fixed now.

If that's the case, please have a fresh look at the blog. I'm updating daily at the moment and will be doing so for at least another week, focusing on the properties owned by Blairmont Associates LLC and various other Paul McKee-held companies. Many historic buildings are being destroyed as a result of these companies' actions, and it is urgent that the spotlight remain on them.

Daily Dose of Blairmont 9

Such a beautiful, distinctive intersection this was! At a turn in the street grid, where Glasgow crosses St. Louis Avenue, the city's builders put forth their best efforts, simple but strong and handsome buildings vying to outdo one another in their elegance.

As of 2008, Blairmont has destroyed all these buildings.

From left to right, we have:

• 2845-2847 St. Louis Avenue (VHS Partners, August 2004)
  
• 2854-2856 St. Louis Avenue (VHS Partners, November 2005)
  
• 2858 St. Louis Avenue (VHS Partners, November 2005)

March 26, 2007


November 25, 2005

The little turreted flatiron building was a keynote for St. Louis explorers, the kind of building that makes a wandering architecture fan stop the car and pull out the camera, then brings them back to the spot again and again. Its neighbors across the street provided an elegant background for it.

The two neighbors suffered brick rustler attacks in 2007, losing parts of their back sides. The thin Italianate building was demolished in February 2008; its broader neighbor was already gone.


May 6, 2007


February 11, 2008

The whole intersection was a minor crescendo, part of a swelling movement toward Grand Avenue to the west, a lyrical moment among the already rich background of the city's vernacular buildings. But the moment is gone, the symphony torn apart and stomped upon.

Links:

• 2854-2856 St. Louis at the City Assessor's database
  
• The turreted flatiron building at the City Assessor's database
  
• Aerial view from Maps.Live.com
  
• More on Blairmont

Daily Dose of Blairmont 8

• 2727 Samuel Shepard Drive

March 2003

Oh, this place. Man! At the time, it was the most ruinous building I'd ever seen in my life, and it just blew my mind. How could such a fine and noble building come to this state?

The house stood just beyond the eastern fringes of Midtown. It's right around the corner from the old Scott Joplin House; the Department of Natural Resources owns most of the surrounding lots.

The property belongs to "N & G Ventures LLC", who purchased it at the end of 2003 -- a few months after these photos were taken. Guess we can't blame all the problems on Blairmont!

It stood this way for another couple of years, but has since been demolished.

Links:

• 2727 Samuel Shepard at the City Assessor's database
  
• Aerial view from Maps.Live.com
  
• More on Blairmont

Daily Dose of Blairmont 7

• 2501 Glasgow Avenue

February 11, 2008

This little corner building stands in the western part of JeffVanderLou, tucked away in the shadow of the sprawling contemporary manufacturing plants that have replaced a good chunk of the neighborhood. "VHS Partners LLC" purchased it in 2005.

It's pretty beaten up. An ancient and pealing coat of paint covers up its bricks. Glass block filled in its ground floor windows, and the remaining window openings alternate between old boards and broken glass. Whatever cornice it once had vanished long ago.

But it still has presence. The original cast iron storefront remains in place -- a vanishing rarity for St. Louis. A bay window, still with its original sloped roof, articulates what would otherwise be a flat wall.



Restored, it could be a remarkable treasure. Even a low-budget renovation could keep the building's remaining assets intact until a pricier rehab became possible.

Links:

• 2501 Glasgow at the City Assessor's database
  
• Aerial view from Maps.Live.com
  
• More on Blairmont

Daily Dose of Blairmont 6

• 2537-2539 North Market Street

July 30, 2006

Purchased by "VHS Partners LLC" in August 2005. Torn apart by brick thieves and reduced to a dangerous ruin less than a year later.





And a beautiful contributer to the historic architecture of its neighborhood.

Am I the only one who senses a trend here?

Links:

• 2537 North Market at the City Assessor's database
  
• Aerial view from Maps.Live.com
  
• More on Blairmont

Daily Dose of Blairmont 5

• 2509 W. Sullivan Avenue (Blairmont Associates Ltd., October 2003)

August 2003

Blairmont owns the house on the left. This little cottage was part of a charming block of similar houses. A few have been lost at this end, but most are still standing. Blairmont owns one more at the west end of the block.

2509 was purchased by Blairmont Associates Ltd. in 2003. Since then, it's been brick rustled, reducing it to rubble. Bad enough on its own, but look what's happening right next door!


September 2006


November 2007

The privately-owned cottage next door is getting some rehab work -- a board-up has come off the basement window, it looks like a new porch is getting started, and that might even be new brick tuckpointing on the side wall. What kind of neighbor lets a house fall to rubble when private citizens are working hard to improve their own properties?

Links:

• 2509 W. Sullivan at the City Assessor's database
  
• Aerial view from Maps.Live.com
  
• More on Blairmont

Daily Dose of Blairmont 4

Today's Blairmont-owned building stands in the south end of the St. Louis Place neighborhood; it's been owned by Blairmont Associates Ltd. Co. since the spring of 2005.

• 1923 Madison Street - built 1888

August 16, 2003


November 11, 2007

Still occupied in late 2003, 1923 Madison was boarded up and empty three years later. More telling, all the windows were removed from the upper floors. They were cheap vinyl windows, not particularly lucrative. Why remove them? Well, the only real consequence of removal is that it opens the building up to the weather, speeding up deterioration and decay. Folks, you figure it out!

Now, you might think that this is an ordinary four-square flat building, and to an extent, you'd be right. It's got the red brick, Second Empire slate tiled mansard roof, and dormer windows so common to 1880s buildings in St. Louis.



It still has the lovely slate tile patterns and dormer detail, but the brick cornice so typical of St. Louis buildings appears to have been lost in a remodeling some years ago. Likewise, the house's neighbors east and west have been lost, leaving it as a lonely survivor along Madison.

But.... just look look look what it does for the view from adjacent Knapp Street!


September 2, 2006

More than just a stock building, it forms the termination of a lovely little urban vista, capping off a varied run of historic buildings -- and new construction as well, as new houses have gone up on the west side of Knapp, their massing and scale in keeping with their hundred-plus-year-old neighbors across the street.

• 1612 Knapp Street - built 1875

The shorter building at right, with the white windows, is another Blairmont property -- 1612 Knapp, owned by "Dodier Investors LLC" since December 2006. So not only is the vista's finale in danger, but the vista itself is also jeopardized!

This neighborhood is not going away. There's brand new houses going up right down the street. Blairmont has nothing to gain by sitting on this lovely building and letting it fall apart.

Price bounce: 1923 Madison sold in April 2005 for $10,000. A few weeks later it sold for $17,500 to Blairmont.

Links:

• 1923-1925 Madison at the City Assessor's database
  
• 1612 Knapp at the City Assessor's database
  
• Aerial view from Maps.Live.com
  
• More on Blairmont

Daily Dose of Blairmont 3

• 2510-12 E. Sullivan Avenue - built 1905

February 11, 2008

Blairmont is not noted for keeping its properties in the best of repair.

The building's ruins stand in the north end of the St. Louis Place neighborhood. It was intact when "N & G Ventures LC" purchased it May 2006.

Price bounce: First sold in 2005 for $4,000, bought from an owner-occupant. Then in May 2006, N & G bought it for $140,000. Good LORD! Are the bricks made of gold?

Links:

• 2510-12 at the City Assessor's database
  
• Aerial view from Maps.Live.com, showing the house while still intact.
  
• More on Blairmont

Daily Dose of Blairmont 2

Today's houses are also in the JeffVanderLou neighborhood, only a block or two from yesterday's.


February 11, 2008

Left to right:

• 2617 Slattery (Blairmont, May 2006)
  
• 2623 Slattery
  
• 2625-27 Slattery (Blairmont, January 2004) - built 1899
  
• 2629-31 Slattery

Of the pair of beige brick, center-gabled buildings, the one on the right is owned by a private citizen, while the left belongs to "Noble Development Co. LLC" (the Blairmont building can be distinguished by the broken window.) 2617, the red brick building at far left, is owned by "VHS Partner LLC".

The original features of the two beige buildings are virtually identical. They both feature a massive Roman arched recessed entryway, an interpretation of a feature common to St. Louis houses. The inviting entry niche grounds the buildings, ties them to the street. Small windows above reflect the presence of the entryway below (and a party wall behind.)

The Blairmont building is empty, its front door boarded over, but otherwise has not been secured, with all the windows left exposed. It's a sign of neglect, a sign of not caring. What would this cohesive little corner of the neighborhood look like if the two Blairmont buildings were to fall?

Update: 2617 has been destroyed by brick rustlers.

May 2008

Links:

• 2625-27 at the City Assessor's database
  
• Aerial view from Maps.Live.com
  
• More on Blairmont

A Daily Dose of Blairmont

In order to keep this issue in the spotlight, I'd like to share a few of the houses owned by Blairmont and its assorted sibling shell companies.



This charming quartet of cottages stands just a bit east of Grand, south of St. Louis Avenue. All four are empty. Three are owned by "MLK 3000 LLC", and the fourth by the LRA. They are, from left to right:

• 3007 Montgomery Avenue (Blairmont, January 2007) - built 1906
  
• 3005 Montgomery Avenue (Blairmont, January 2007) - built 1906
  
• 3003 Montgomery Avenue (LRA)
  
• 3001 Montgomery Avenue (Blairmont, October 2006) - built 1906

Situated on an odd, triangular parcel of land framed by Garrison and Coleman, they're staggered to step back from the street. They're not quite parallel; they fan out slightly from the back, keeping the houses on each end parallel to the side streets. The result is a lovely little bit of rhythm.



Their neighborhood bears the unwieldy name of JeffVanderLou. Brick rustling and abandonment have taken a heavy toll on the area's surviving stock of beautiful brick homes, and sprawling light industry has hemmed in the area to the east. But a few dozen historic homes still remain, many occupied, and some even restored to top condition. And just behind these houses, two entire blocks of faux-historical new houses have recently risen, somewhat tepid in their architecture but perfectly urban in their massing and placement.


Their decoration signals a stylistic shift in the neighborhood, with dark brown common brick on the front walls, decorated with geometric patterns in glazed white and green brick -- elements more common in the early 1900s, as opposed the 1880s/1890s stock common to the area.



Price bounce #1: 3007 sold in March 2006 for $10,500; 3005 sold for $5,000. The two properties sold again in January 2007 for $125,000. What the heck is inside these places?

Price bounce #2: 3001 sold three times: $50,000 in June '06, $60,000 in October '06... then $35,000 just a few days later. A price drop? Very odd.

Links:

• The properties at the City Assessor's property database
  
• Aerial view from Maps.Live.com
  
• More on Blairmont

New Orleans in links

This is a list I've been accumulating for a while. Eventually it'll end up on my permanent pages, but it's worth sharing in the meantime. There's some incredible information and stories in here, stuff that Americans in general really need to be aware of. It's a lot -- easily an entire day's worth of reading.

http://www.nola.com/katrina/pages/092205/0922PAGEB02.pdf
Flood map of New Orleans. Why didn't I ever find this thing before?

http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/08/21/060821fa_fact2
Lengthy New Yorker article covering the first year post-hurricanes. Starts off with a graphic description of the Lower 9th's destruction.

Squandered Heritage
Astounding blog tracking the demolition of houses, including the steamroller approach the city of New Orleans is taking toward homeowners. Also has ruminations on the nature of poverty.

1603 Katrina
A preservationist working in New Orleans. Reports from the city, ruminations on architecture, urbanism, and preservation. And Memphis. And Philadelphia.

Thomas Neff, Photographer
Web site of Thomas Neff, author of "Holding Out and Hanging On", a chronicle of the people who stayed in the city during Katrina.

Bulldozers at the ready
NYTimes article about the pending demolition of several enormous New Orleans housing projects.

Pioneer
The Old River Control Structure portion of John McPhee's book The Control of Nature, inexplicably reprinted in The New Yorker under the title "Pioneer" and attributed to "William McKibben".

Old River is the monumental yet precarious structure that keeps the Mississippi from diverting into the Atchafalaya River. I read this book over a decade ago, while living in New Jersey, but having focused so much attention on New Orleans in the last two years, it was a much more intimate and intense read this time around. It also helped that I could have maps.live.com open in another browser tab and scroll around over the geographic features being described in text.