Urban St. Louis (Part One) - Page 4

flar · #61 Posted **Aug 20, 2007, 4:01 AM**

Everyone loves a good grit thread

midsouth27 · #62 Posted **Aug 24, 2007, 9:02 PM**

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midsouth27 · #63 Posted **Aug 27, 2007, 1:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arch City

I resisted jumping into this thread, but oh well, some of the comments need to be addressed.

Guys, these are pictures of random decay and abandonment - not of whole neighborhoods - although the pics represent decay and abandonment in neighborhoods - there are no whole neighborhoods in St. Louis City that look like these pictures. If anyone suggests otherwise, they are embellishing. Again, these are random pics of decay and abandonment.

While decay and abandonment is more pronounced in some neighborhoods - particularly in some North St. Louis neighborhoods and industrial zones - decay and abandonment can be found throughout the city. A random compilation such as this, I think, overdramatizes or overdepicts the situation. On the other hand, this is not to deny there isn't decay and abandonment in St. Louis City or East St. Louis.

In the first picture below is the 14th Street Pedestrian Mall in Old North St. Louis, which is actually about to undergo a $30-million renovation. It is set to start at year's end. In this case, as with many structures and projects in the city, investors have been called.

Around the corner from the 14th Street Pedestrian Mall are these strips of new homes, newly renovated houses and renovated rowhouses. Again, investors have moved in.

Check out more pictures from the Old North St. Louis neighborhood. Here's the source of the photos.

Below, this building, from the compilation, actually looks like it is under renovation.

Below, I've taken photos of this area as well. What's left out of the photo below is new Confluence Academy charter school located inside a nice, newly renovated old warehouse. The new building sits right next to the playground in the picture - yet it is left out of the photo in an effort to showcase decay. New houses are also nearby.

^^First of all I didn't claim this to be one neighborhood.... And I couldn't help but notice the only photos you would comment on are in the Hyde Park or Old North St. Louis area. May I ask why you didn't venture out toward 35th and state in East St. Louis, or through the parts of the ville where I took photos, or any of the other numerous neighborhoods. Could it be because the Hyde Park or Old North St. Louis area is the only area where that I photographed that these improvements are going on and its the one of the only areas where crime hasn't been quite as bad anymore. And when I say improvements I mean Improvements that are brand new and mostly not even completed yet. And out of curiousity why... out of all the photos.... would you say I put the brand new looking playground picture up in an effort to show decay... If you wanna talk honestly about what I left off of there I also left out the dopehouse around the way there to... Don't lie to the people for no reason. Now I will say that Hyde Park or Old North St. Louis area is a hit and miss area that most people can get by in... And I can only assume thats why it is the only area u could comment on... Go over to state st. around 30th to 40th and tell me about how my pictures over dramatized the situation and inform me on all the latest redevelopment plans going on there... I never claimed there wasn't decent areas in North St. Louis.... Penrose is alright... and theres good blocks in and out all throughout.... Heres a homework assignment for you.... Go find that guy McKee that and ask him how many abandoned establishments he owns in a small area of North St. Louis... Then come back here and count how many pictures I posted... After that lets just compare those numbers.... and that will just be a start at giving us an idea of how badly I overdramatized things.

Suburban Lou · #64 Posted **Aug 27, 2007, 4:43 AM**

Thats Old North st. Louis not Hyde Park

midsouth27 · #65 Posted **Aug 27, 2007, 4:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suburban Lou

Thats Old North st. Louis not Hyde Park

^the photos I was refering to swing from Hyde Park to old North but your right I was morely refering to Old North as that is what he was talking about more. Please forgive my minor insignificant error.

Top Of The Park · #66 Posted **Aug 27, 2007, 5:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chelsea Spy

What astonishing pictures - and what an indictment of a city - how could the authorities allow neighbours to deteriorate so badly? I'm horrified and fascinated in equal measure. Thank you midsouth for exposing the underside of the American dream. These parts of the city look like a war zone... I assume these neighbourhoods are overwhelmingly African-American as well. Truly shocking.

.....run down parts of cities are always Afro-American??

MayDay · #67 Posted **Aug 27, 2007, 2:24 PM**

"how could the authorities allow neighbours to deteriorate so badly?"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_decay

In some cases, the dilapidated properties are owned by people who no longer live anywhere near, and pursuing individual owners to clean up their property is hampered by the legal system. It's not as if cities don't have the will to fix up the areas, but often their resources are limited as are their legal rights to forcibly acquire property that's been allowed to fall into disrepair.

Fascinating photos, btw.

dfane · #68 Posted **Aug 27, 2007, 6:53 PM**

chelsea you either sound naive or you are just joking.

These pics are unfortunately reality in alot of cities around the world.

yes there are poor people OMG!!!

bgwah · #69 Posted **Aug 27, 2007, 7:20 PM**

Though the decay is fascinating, it is a shame to see so many buildings in such bad condition.

Very cool pictures, though.

Xing · #70 Posted **Aug 27, 2007, 11:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chelsea Spy

What astonishing pictures - and what an indictment of a city - how could the authorities allow neighbours to deteriorate so badly? I'm horrified and fascinated in equal measure. Thank you midsouth for exposing the underside of the American dream. These parts of the city look like a war zone... I assume these neighbourhoods are overwhelmingly African-American as well. Truly shocking.

Granite City, to the north, is over 90% White, and is very much blighted.

SPonteK · #71 Posted **Aug 28, 2007, 8:48 PM**

What's the big deal? I know from experience that fully 50% of Kansas City's urban core (so maybe 25% of the total city) looks this bad, and I've personally seen vast swaths of abandonment and decay this bad in Cleveland and Cincy. I always assumed it was a defining feature of Midwestern mid-sized cities, like surface lots and sporadic split-level infill.

graupner · #72 Posted **Aug 30, 2007, 2:17 AM**

Very cool photo thread. I,ve always been fascinated by old blighted neighborhoods. Please post more.

SuburbanNation · #73 Posted **Aug 31, 2007, 2:41 AM**

what a fantastic thread, mid south. i'm glad that you took the time and effort to take these photographs and then share them.

midsouth27 · #74 Posted **Sep 2, 2007, 10:34 PM**

Appreciate the responses I hope to have the next set up in about a week or so.

DetKing12565 · #75 Posted **Sep 3, 2007, 2:38 AM**

STL, so sad.

LSyd · #76 Posted **Sep 4, 2007, 2:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red UM Rebel

I love the city, and I love to visit. It is truly great to see a side of the city though that I as a tourist would never venture into. Thanks for the pictures

new. best. grit thread ever? or at least in a very long time. thank you for the great pics. i know from posting several pics of Birmingham's worse-off areas that various people will react horribly (foreigners, "my city's better" homers, and local boosters.)

i love St. Louis, i have a lot of relatives in the area there, and love to visit, but i only see this from the interstate when i've visited in the past.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chingon

What's the big deal? I know from experience that fully 50% of Kansas City's urban core (so maybe 25% of the total city) looks this bad, and I've personally seen vast swaths of abandonment and decay this bad in Cleveland and Cincy. I always assumed it was a defining feature of Midwestern mid-sized cities, like surface lots and sporadic split-level infill.

a lot of southern cities are like this, too, to some degree (as bad, or nearly as bad, in the worst cases...) of course, a lot of forumers seem to look down their noses from their "real urban" cities.

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Evergrey · #77 Posted **Sep 4, 2007, 2:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LSyd

new. best. grit thread ever? or at least in a very long time. thank you for the great pics. i know from posting several pics of Birmingham's worse-off areas that various people will react horribly (foreigners, "my city's better" homers, and local boosters.)

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Where can I view these Birmingham pics?

HoosierGuy317 · #78 Posted **Sep 5, 2007, 4:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DetKing12565

STL, so sad.

So is Detroit.

JivecitySTL · #79 Posted **Sep 5, 2007, 10:56 AM**

^You guys are a riot! St. Louis is not "sad" at all. Sure, it has its terrible neighborhoods (as does every city), but it's a wonderful place to live. There are many, many more stable and healthy neighborhoods than bad ones in the City of St. Louis. The ignorance on this forum is astounding, especially amongst people who claim to be urban enthusiasts! All those who keep commenting about "how sad" St. Louis and Detroit are know NOTHING about the realities of these cities.