Lafayette Avenue is a favorite east-west street. The street extends all the way from Kosciusko Street near the river to Vandeventer Avenue. It goes through some great neighborhoods including Soulard, Lafayette Square, the Gate District and Botanical Heights.
There are so many architectural gems from the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. There is also much destruction/abandonment on display due to I-44 displacement and suburban migration vacuums. This is especially evident in the stretch of Lafayette in the Gate District.
This important connector between Jefferson and Grand had a lot of holes in the street face, but oh what potential. Some beautiful row and stand alone homes made it through time and are looking proud as ever, providing an anchor for newer infill:
This is an exciting time to pay attention to his stretch as homes are being rebuilt for those with the desire to live in St. Louis in a new home. Some want the amenities of city living without the desire to maintain a 100 year home. I've been on both sides of that.
So I'm happy to see the bump in new construction in this part of the city.
The last five or so years have brought much modern architecture to this stretch of our city. I presume, because there's a market for it, and there is more creativity allowed in this part of the city (the Gate District) as there are no historic standards that dictate what can and cannot be built. I like this mix and room for creativity. Diversity makes a city great, and sometimes the monochromatic red brick can be a bit stifling (not many cities can say they have too much brick).
Here are some examples of modern architecture I welcome to mix in with our brick beauties:
Per my eye, this influx of modern design is a welcomed addition to a classic St. Louis street.
Hopefully these homes will bring in a whole new set of residents looking for modern living and lower maintenance who previously wouldn't have shopped the city.
What do you think of these?
