The houses are right up against the sidewalk, creating a sense of community and place. Also, it's hard to beat up and rob someone right outside one of these houses; the owners are more likely to notice a disturbance right outside their doors, thus contributing to safety in the neighborhood. The problem is that too few of these houses are occupied, leaving "black holes" where criminals can operate, whether inside abandoned buildings, or in front of them. Note the sign advertising redevelopment in the area. Old North St. Louis is a little too rough for me, but I laud the efforts of people risking their money--and in some cases, their safety--to renovate and take back these neighborhoods. The trick is keeping a balance between the original, law abiding residents--the ones who stuck it out during the bad times--and the new residents buying and renovating abandoned houses.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Old North St. Louis Mural
I snapped a picture of this mural on the party wall of an old house off of North Florissant Ave in Old North St. Louis:
The houses are right up against the sidewalk, creating a sense of community and place. Also, it's hard to beat up and rob someone right outside one of these houses; the owners are more likely to notice a disturbance right outside their doors, thus contributing to safety in the neighborhood. The problem is that too few of these houses are occupied, leaving "black holes" where criminals can operate, whether inside abandoned buildings, or in front of them. Note the sign advertising redevelopment in the area. Old North St. Louis is a little too rough for me, but I laud the efforts of people risking their money--and in some cases, their safety--to renovate and take back these neighborhoods. The trick is keeping a balance between the original, law abiding residents--the ones who stuck it out during the bad times--and the new residents buying and renovating abandoned houses.
The houses are right up against the sidewalk, creating a sense of community and place. Also, it's hard to beat up and rob someone right outside one of these houses; the owners are more likely to notice a disturbance right outside their doors, thus contributing to safety in the neighborhood. The problem is that too few of these houses are occupied, leaving "black holes" where criminals can operate, whether inside abandoned buildings, or in front of them. Note the sign advertising redevelopment in the area. Old North St. Louis is a little too rough for me, but I laud the efforts of people risking their money--and in some cases, their safety--to renovate and take back these neighborhoods. The trick is keeping a balance between the original, law abiding residents--the ones who stuck it out during the bad times--and the new residents buying and renovating abandoned houses.
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