Monday, August 31, 2009

Art Deco Butchery

?I always loved the sleek, Art Deco design of the overhang of Saleem's on Delmar in the University City Loop.Apparently not everybody appreciated it, as it has recently been reworked in a horrible, architecturally inaccurate manner.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Brick Theft Alive and Well in St. Louis Place

I was driving around up by my favorite church, and wandered east of Parnell on Hebert Street. I had seen some brick theft victims before in this area, but I stumbled across yet another street whose destruction seems to be a foregone conclusion. Much like the two blocks of Warren and Montgomery Streets fell to theft last year, I am afraid that the same will happen on this block of Hebert.Something about how the interior walls of houses stay standing always amazes me; these houses were built sturdy.I thought the house below was a real stunner, but something about the weird lean of the top story confused me.Sadly, I realized the lean was caused by the destruction of the side wall, which can be seen lying in pieces in the gangway between the houses.But, hey, it's not like the thieves have anything to worry about; not enough people care up this way to do anything, it can seem. When your leaders have already been bought, I can see how people begin to give up hope. Below is a fire hydrant, gushing water, and nobody was doing anything about it. I finally called it in to the Police. I seriously wonder how long it had been going.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Illegal Dumping, Tower Grove East

My little illegal dumpers are growing up so fast; now they take off the door of the refrigerator before illegally dumping it in my alley. Pretty soon they'll be applying for college and leaving the nest.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Chamberlain Avenue, West End

Chamberlain Avenue is a unique corner of the West End; in the span of a block of this curving street are a handful of stunning houses, stately apartments and even some ranch houses. See it from the air.


Monday, August 17, 2009

West Cabanne Place

I had the pleasure of finally seeing West Cabanne Place two weekends ago. It is truly spectacular in its sense of neighborhood cohesion; people actively checked out what I was doing on their block instead of being apathetic. Likewise, the neighborhood president greeted me when I walk by; we struck up a conversation about the street. We need more streets citizens care about.


Saturday, August 15, 2009

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Norwood Square, Wells-Goodfellow

Norwood Square has already been thoroughly and eloquently documented here, but I offer up my own pictures as a chronicle of the rise and fall of Norwood Square.
According to a neighborhood boy, this is where the "rich" people live.
It is sad to think that the settling of the ground, so visible in the bends and cracks on the houses, will eventually claim many of the wonderful homes on this unique subdivision.

A Blog detailing the beauty of St. Louis architecture and the buildup of residue-or character-that accumulates over the course of time.