Walnut Park East part II

My wife and I drove the streets of Walnut Park East with our camera taking pictures of what we saw on that cold winter day.  I did a blog post on January 10, 2010.  The photos and description and overall vibe was true to our experience on a maybe 1 hour drive through this neighborhood.  But, I fully realize you can't judge a neighborhood on a 1 hour tour?  But, I felt I was honest in describing what I saw; and somewhat even handed in that I didn't take pictures of the numerous dumping sites and tire fire remnants, etc.

Not 4 days later, Antionette Cousins, the executive director for the Riverview West Florissant Dev. Corp (RWFDC) left a comment on my post.  It struck me immediately, because I feared I offended her or others that may call WPE home.  On one hand I'm always a glass half full guy, a rooter of the underdog, I find beauty is wrecked things and abandoned buildings in former urban residential and industrial areas.  Things that were made to be beautiful and last but have aged or fallen apart are some of my favorite vistas in St. Louis.  Yet, I wasn't feelin' it here and I'll stand behind that.  However, I felt personally responsible to meet with Ms. Cousins to explain my prerogative; to somewhat come clean on my take and learn something about the positive things that weren't apparent to me that day I drove around WPE.  In fact, here's how I ended my post:

Please correct me if you are familiar with the neighborhood and have opinions to the contrary. Or, if you have examples of positivity to share regarding WPE, please do. I'm sure there are church based organizations and such working hard to help those that choose to call WPE home, it's just these efforts were not immediately apparent to me on my tour today.

And here's Ms. Cousins comment from Jan. 14th:

I am sorry you feel that way about my community. As the Executive Director for Riverview West Florissant Development Corporation, I invite you to contact me so we can schedule a tour of the Walnut Park East neighborhood. It seems these postings are old as these homes have been torn down and new development has been constructed. I look forward to meeting with you.

314 382 9000

oh! by the way, crime has decreased by 80% since we began community engagement and new development of 32 new homes.

After giving it some thought, I was very happy that she commented and I called her the next day and we set up a time to meet in person.  I do stand by the fact that the photos I took were indeed from WPE and the homes were not torn down as of Jan 10, 2010.

After meeting Ms. Cousins, and having a candid conversation about my post and motives of writing about each of St. Louis' neighborhoods, and learning some more about the work her organization is doing, I walked away feeling pretty good about the future of the WPE neighborhood and that we came to an understanding.

I'm no journalist, but I took some notes of our discussion and asked for her permission to take her picture and post some of our discussion.   Firstly, let me say Ms. Cousins totally impressed the urbanist, or at least the city lover in me.  She seems pretty cool and is the kind of person that is a blessing to be working the city and we need more of her kind in spades.

She absolutely loves her job and that comes across clearly and honestly in her face and her enthusiastic demeanor:

Ms. Cousins is a St. Louis girl born and raised in the city and went to high school in Affton (I had to ask).  She went on to get multiple degrees in Missouri and Chicago in social work and human resources and  development.  We briefly talked about Chicago and New York (Brooklyn) and what makes these cities great.   She gets it when it comes to neighborhood continuity.  By that I mean finding architects and builders that can merge new construction with the existing homes/structures in the hood.

Yes, this neighborhood has seen some tough times, but the aldermen/women (Bosley, Flowers, Carter) and the RWFDC are working diligently to reach out to people to find out what to do to turn things around.  Drugs and crime have been a problem in the areas RWFDC represents (Baden, College Hill, Near North Riverfront, North Riverfront, O'Fallon, Walnut Park East and West and North Pointe).

We talked about the massive losses in population from 1990 to 2000.  We discussed that fact that I'm citing info that's 10 years old, and I'm fully aware of that.  But, I feel it's the only data that can reliably used to compare apples to apples amongst the city neighborhoods.  She is confident that the numbers are going to go up in the 2010 counting.  Her team and org. are working hard to educate people in the 27th ward re: census counting and how important it is to comply with the census counts. 

UPDATE January, 2013:  2010 Census data indicated a loss of ~23% in WPE.

We talked about the aging residents in her area.  60% of the people are senior citizens.  RWFDC is working with seniors to get them help with computer skills and in general keeping up with the times.  They are working with troubled kids who do work mowing grass and repairing homes for seniors  and picking up trash in the neighborhood.  They are working with Gateway Greening to get community veggie gardens going (3 in total).

Much of the RWFDC's funding comes from Community Block Grant dollars from the aldermanic funds that are awarded.

Ms. Cousins intentions are in line with my ideals for what WPE needs:   careful rehabilitation of significant/historic structures, and sensitive new construct to fill in the gaps.  We talked about our love of brownstones and matching/urban street set backs and matching new homes with the pre-existing homes.  We joked about our fears of people turning the city into the suburbs :)  She educated me in that each alderman is allowed to demo 13 homes annually.  Her org. works with the aldermen to evaluate these homes.  She's an advocate of conservation and rehabs.  Demos are done under dire circumstances.

Over 200 drug houses have been identified and shut down in her tenure.  The new homes constructed are being rented out for 3 years, during which time the renters get educated on escrow accounts, home ownership and predatory lending practices.  They get the option to purchase the home.  There is a waiting list for these homes.  They are taking into account modern advancements in energy efficiency by building these homes with rain barrels for capturing water to use for outdoor uses and installation of tank-less hot water heaters.

I hope I recapped our conversation accurately.  It was a pleasure learning that the future of our city is up to us....our generation....to rise above the loss and degradation that our parent's and grandparent's generations allowed to occur.  We are in a good place for the future as a city.  We have good people working to improve this improve this town.  I'm glad we can talk about it and become friends and unite on the thing we all want:  healthy, thriving neighborhoods where people can feel safe, happy and proud of their homes and city.

Cheers to the RWFDC!   Thank you for your time and reaching out to me in my quest to understand what the 79 neighborhoods of my favorite city have to show and offer.

St. Louis City Talk On Facebook

I just started a page on facebook for all my brief rants and adventures in trying new bars/restaurants/businesses in the city of St. Louis. 

http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=287566229960&ref=nf

Keep your eye on the rich kid

One of my all time favorite movies is Rushmore. The following line is from Bill Murray's character Herman Blume (self made millionaire) while speaking to a bunch of rich kids at an all boy's private academy.

You guys have it real easy. I never had it like this where I grew up.
But I send my kids here because the fact is you go to one of the best schools in the country: Rushmore.
Now, for some of you it doesn't matter. You were born rich and you're going to stay rich.
But here's my advice to the rest of you: Take dead aim on the rich boys. Get them in the crosshairs and take them down.
Just remember, they can buy anything but they can't buy backbone. Don't let them forget it. Thank you.

See for yourself.  Best chapel speech ever.

I have 3 kids...city kids...public school kids...who may be smart enough to pursue higher education.  Should they choose said pursuit, this movie and Catcher in the Rye will be mandatory viewing/reading for them in a few years.  May the close proximity to underdogs always keep us rooting for those with less or those who are worse off.

Wanted: Outsiders and Immigrants

I was at the Missouri History Museum recently and thinking about the lifetime accomplishments of some great St. Louisians to our fine city.

Most of the grand visions and accomplishments happened when St. Louis was booming and people were making fortunes here.  Local philanthropy was alive and well; people were thinking big.  The spirit and desire to make the U.S. similar to dense European cities and foster that culture was apparent.  An example from Henry Shaw's great vision (starting at age 19 mind you):

The Shaw neighborhood began as a clearing the French called Prairie des Noyers. Much of this expansive natural prairie was purchased by Louisville’s Captain William Chambers in 1816. About the same time, the prairie captivated Henry Shaw, a young man of 19 seeking his fortune. He bought his piece in 1840 to the north and west of Chambers and there he built his country home, Tower Grove House. He also began planning and installing his magnificent garden, now known as the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Shaw began dabbling in residential development building Shaw Place, which was a re-creation of a streetscape reminiscent of his childhood in England. The architectural firm of George I. Barnett designed these houses as a model and standard for the homes Shaw wanted to see built around his garden. They also served as rental property, the proceeds benefiting the Garden. When Captain Chambers died, he left his property to his daughter, Mary Tyler, who sold it in the 1890’s to a Kansas City developer. Tyler’s 235 acres became “Tyler Place, a bon ton neighborhood”. Flora Place was the showcase of the area. Its lots sold for $55-65 per front foot.

 The entrance gates to the 1897 Flora Place were built at a cost of $9,500. That was $5,500 more than the first home’s sale price.

 The entrance gates to the 1897 Flora Place were built at a cost of $9,500. That was $5,500 more than the first home’s sale price. Growth spread in all directions, and many styles of architecture flourished over the ensuing 30 years as Shaw became a fully urban neighborhood.

So, with the amazing accomplishments of Susan Elizabeth Blow and Henry Shaw at the front of my mind, I am inspired by the amazing vision these people had to shape our city for the betterment of generations and generations to come.  Bravo!

However, the days of America and especially St. Louis being a place where the wealthy and privileged come to live are over.  Henry Shaw and Susan Elizabeth Blow probably would not have been able to accomplish what they did without their vast family wealth and privilige.  But they were St. Lousians.  They lived in the neighborhoods that they designed/worked in.  They had personal stock in these places.  They wanted to make it a better place for themselves and for generation to come.

Most of the current day wealthy in the region choose to live outside the confines of St. Louis (Ladue, Town and Country, Chesterfield, Frontenac, Creve Coeur, Kirkwood, Webster Groves, etc).   Why would they want to make sweeping, lasting, thoughtful changes and contributions to a place where they don't live or understand or have direct stock in?

Henry Shaw lived in his settlement.  Susan Elizabeth Blow lived near the school she started.  They were part of the neighborhood.  They lived in/with the buildings and settlements they designed.  That is important.  But....

I just don't see St. Louis having the citizens with enough money and power to make radical sweeping changes to this city that is necessary.  By change, I mean transforming streets, neighborhoods, fallow parcels of land to places that will be on the map and in the history books in years to come.  Places that will be considered special and historically significant 50, maybe 100 years from now.
There are obvious exceptions (Bob Cassilly), but I am generalizing here.

Although, with St. Louis' most wealthy and elite living in the suburbs, enjoying their exclusivity and separation from the negatives of St. Louis race politics, poor, homeless, schools, crime, etc.,  maybe the saving grace is outside influence....outside the region.  I certainly think it will take more than the 350,000 we have now. I think we need help, fresh external viewpoints, intellectual and monitary investment from elsewhere.

On more than one occasion I've given "tours" of St. Louis to suburbanites or metro-east denizens.  The usual things are heard.  "Should we lock the doors?"  "Are you sure it's safe here?"  "This could be a nice place."  "What a shame it's been allowed to come to this."

Forget all that.  I'm sick of that kind of talk.  You are either part of the problem or the solution.  That kind of talk is part of the regional problem.  On more than one occasion, my wife and I have given co-workers from out of country or out of state tours of St. Louis.   They are fascinated with the history, the polished neighborhoods, the gritty neighborhoods, the overall feel.  They've commented on how cheap it is to eat good food and the accessibility to amazingly affordable housing options.  They seem to walk away impressed.  It's this fresh, less tainted perspective that I think we need to help guide us toward a brighter future.

We need more outsiders and immigrants to make this place better.  The fresh perspective is needed more now than ever.  Look at how the Bosnian, Croatian, Roma immigrants have not let local politics, fear of opening a business and negativity get in the way of transforming buildings, blocks, neighborhoods for their community and needs.  St. Louis is a better place because of their hard work (and great bakeries).

I'm very hopeful that the solicitation of outsider view points on the Arch Grounds Design Competition jury will inject this sense of optimism and pleasant surprise at how much our city has to offer if it was just reconfigured a little and reconnected with pedestrians in mind.  Many other bloggers are already covering the Arch Grounds Design Competition.  Take a look at the folks selected to be on the jury (from Ecology of Absence):

Robert Campbell, architecture critic at The Boston Globe and contributing editor for Architectural Record;

Gerald Early, Merle Kling Professor of Modern Letters and Director of the African and Afro-American Studies at Washington University in St. Louis;

Denis P. Galvin, former Deputy Director of the National Park Service;

Alex Krieger, founding principal of Chan Krieger Sieniewicz, architecture and urban design firm and professor at the Harvard School of Design, Cambridge, Mass.;

David C. Leland, an urban strategist and managing director of the Leland Consulting Group, Portland, Ore.;

Cara McCarty, curator of the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, New York City;

Laurie D. Olin, partner and landscape architect of the OLIN Studio, Philadelphia;

Carol Ross Barney, founder and Principal of Ross Barney Architects, Chicago.

 I trust the outsiders and immigrants to be awed by the potential of our city more than the entrenched native and suburbanite intelligencia and money.   St. Louis has had a rough 40 or so years, we're all aware of the negatives.  We see them everyday, yet there are enough people moving here and staying here that think St. Louis matters and can be saved and reconnected.  But these numbers need to increase.  Let's bring on the fresh faces perspectives and viewpoints!  I don't think they're the naysayers...

Can't say I have

Haven't yet, but I'm gonna:

• Sled down art hill
• Ice skate with the kids in Forest Park
• Eat at Giuseppe's on Grand/Meremec (you've gotta be intrigued by an Italian joint without windows)
• Find a St. Paul sandwich, imbibe
• Attend a Baptist church service
• Try to observe eagles in Grafton
• Explore a Missouri cave

Head North Young Man

Inspired by a recent bike ride on the Riverfront Trail with my dearest little seven year old and the questions he posed and the time we shared. Thinking about the great divide between the North and the South and how our city seems broken and insanely beautiful all at the same time. How the rewards are different on both sides of the dividing line, yet the entire city is a strange beautiful mess of mulligan stew.

I'm once again reaching to my record collection for inspiration and a song to cement these fine memories of Fatherhood into my brain. One of may favorite lyrics from Dave Davies in the Kinks song Strangers:

So you've been where I've just come
From the land that brings losers on

So we will share this road we walk
And mind our mouths and beware our talk

Till peace we find, tell you what I'll do
All the things I own I will share with you

If I feel tomorrow like I feel today
We'll take what we want and give the rest away

Strangers on this road we are on
We are not two we are one

May my kids not feel the divide that I feel today living in St. Louis. Love you Ben.

Westward Ho

Gateway to the west.  The last civilized (European) enclave before the great savage unknown.
Fur trading post (and walnut bowls)
Commemorative truck stop mini cannons and shot glasses
Rolls thrown due south of 44
References to the old South and the free North

The middle ground, the coming together of water and people and cultures and transport of the day
With deep caverns lit up like a rainbow
And railing and pavement and view masters

Welcome to St. Louis, Missouri old and today
History is right around the block or the river's bend
It wasn't that long ago when all this beauty mattered

Everyone just up and left.
You can scratch away the dingy surface to unearth the most pleasant reminders of who we are and where we've come from and what we should be saving.
Check it out, it's all there. 

Don't fuck it up and knock that building down.
You may not even understand what it was.
It may take years to understand.
You can park over there....

A Salty Salute to Iron Barley

Not fake not pretentious not what you'd expect not contrived not mundane not formulaic not always affordable not cookie cutter not fashionable not chic not a fad not always quick

Real like a warm fire burning with the faint smell of smoke but no flame
Real like the E minor chord but not too loud
Real like calling a Busch over a PBR
Real like the neighborhood gathering place for all

Welcome

Rear Entry And Other Urban Niceties

Sorry for the provacative title to this entry, I just couldn't resist.  Entering businesses and people's homes from the back door is one of my favorite urban experiences. Parking in the rear, and entering a vintage building (usually built to the sidewalk) really hits home with me.  A couple examples of this kind of set up would be the South Hampton Barber Shop at 5423 Hampton; or Penzy's spices in Maplewood.  Pappy's, the U and the Buffalo Brewing Company in Midtown also have rear entry.  Garavalia's Hilltop Inn in Boulevard Heights has rear entry.  I'm sure there are many others yet to be discovered.

Other urban fixtures I am fond of:

1. fire escapes-fell in love with them in NYC, now I'm developing a photo album of ones in STL
2. Dining establishments with a bar set in front of large windows overlooking the street.  It's fun to enjoy lunch and watch pedestrians walking the sidewalks/streets.
3. alleys and alley dumpsters for yard waste and regular trash-I've never owned a home on an alley and I'm jealous of those huge dumpsters.  Our next home WILL be on an alley.
4. below level or downstairs bars/restaurants.  Labeebees DT on 9th street or the old Rosario's (?? is that right ??, memory is foggy) on Sarah are perfect examples.
5. High rise patios off condos (CWE, DT and Midtown have some excellent examples). Especially ones with elaborate gardens.
6. Train bridges in dense parts of the city-I love walking to Busch stadium from my free parking spot and hearing the slow rumble of coal freight trains above me.  At our previous home in Holly Hills, I loved living on a railway for Amtrak and the fancy antique trains that are rented out for weddings, events, etc. from Union Station. 
7. Windows that open up onto the sidewalk.  The gelato place on South Grand is a good example.  The former Chez Leon in CWE is another.
8. Sidewalk loading receptacles (sorry for the crappy description, I don't know what these are technically called).  You know, the metal panels that open up for the UPS guy to send boxes down a ramp to the receiving dept. of the buildings.

These are just a few things that remind me of why I like living in a big city as opposed to a contemporary suburb.  What are some of yours?

ps. what the hell happened to the spell checker on blogger?  You'll have to forgive my misspelled words for now....

Susan Elizabeth Blow (1843-1916)

I was enjoying a cup of coffee and a banana nut muffin with my lovely wife at

Broadway Bean

. She was reading

a book on Carondelet

and mentioned something about the first public kindergarten was in St. Louis. I was only half listening as males often do (sorry Shan); but it stuck with me somewhere in the back of my mind.

I was wondering where the school was and who decided to start a Kindergarten in St. Louis; after all, that was a German educational philosophy right?  The first Kindergarten in America was actually in

Waterman, Wisconsin

.  But the first

publicly financed

Kindergarten was founded by Susan Elizabeth Blow in 1873.

Susan Elizabeth Blow was an amazing St. Louisian and woman in general.  Here's the story on her privileged, but certainly not spoiled life (from Wikipedia):

The eldest of six children, Susan Blow was the daughter of Henry Taylor Blow and Minerva Grimsley. Henry owned various lead-mining operations, was president of the Iron Mountain Railroad, was a state senator, and was a minister to Brazil and Venezuela. Minerva was the daughter of a prominent manufacturer and local politician. The Blow children grew up in a deeply religious family surrounded by comfort, wealth, and high German culture. Her grandfather was Captain Peter Blow, the owner of the slaveDred Scott, who later challenged the slavery issue in court.

Due to her family's social status, Blow received her education from her parents, various governesses, private tutors, and schools. At age eight, she was enrolled at the William McCauley School in New Orleans, Louisiana; she attended classes there for the next two years. At age sixteen Blow and her sister Nellie enrolled in the New York school of Henrietta Haines but were forced to return home due to the outbreak of the Civil War. During this time Blow tutored her younger brothers and sister and taught Sunday school at Carondelet Presbyterian Church.

At age twenty, Blow met and fell in love with a soldier named Colonel William Coyle, but her parents found him to be unsuitable. When Coyle was discharged for medical reasons, her father took her to Washington D.C. and introduced her to another military man who was more to his liking. However, Blow chose not to marry.

President Ulysses S. Grant appointed Henry Blow minister to Brazil in 1869, and Susan went with him as his secretary. During the next fifteen months, she quickly learned Portuguese. Her bilingual ability helped to ease trade communications between Brazil and the United States.

In 1870, along with her mother and siblings, Blow went abroad to Europe. She first began studying the philosophies of Hegel and the American Transcendentalists. However, while abroad she came across the kindergarten teaching methods of German idealist and philosopher Friedrich Fröbel. Fröbel believed in "learning-through-play" and cognitive development.

Wow.  It's kind of sad that Colonel William Coyle and Susan never got any further. 

Anyhow, the school was called the Des Peres school, located in Carondelet at Michigan and Iron.  Does this still exist?  I will try to go by there soon.

Susan Elizabeth Blow was an important leader in education from Missouri. She founded the first public kindergarten in St. Louis and ran it for eleven years without any pay. Blow worked hard to give young children a good start in their education. “If we can make children love intellectual effort,” she once wrote, “we shall prolong habits of study beyond school years.” (source)

That quote warms my heart.

St. Louis is a fascinating place with an amazing history.  Our citizens have made monumental contributions to our culture and society.  We need more pioneers with this kind of vision.  I like living amongst this kind of history.