We've Moved!

I'm proud to announce that my blog has now moved to www.stlouispatina.com. I will no longer be updating this site, though I will leave it for your enjoyment. The new website will have all of your favorite posts, and I hope you enjoy the improved quality and interface at the site.

Stately Homes, East St. Louis

By no means is the entire city of East St. Louis a wasteland, and in fact many streets still retain their original houses.

They could easily be in Tower Grove South or any number of neighborhoods in St. Louis.

Rather interestingly, these two houses with their distinctive turrets are the same design, but one has brick and the other tan stone.

While many houses were originally built of wood in the city, these houses are brick or stone, and are still surviving the ravages of time.

Also, I will be presenting about the exciting future of St. Louis Patina at 7:00 PM at the Contemporary Art Museum on July 12th, in conjunction with PechaKucha St. Louis. I hope to see you there.

Ainad Temple, East St. Louis

Long known as one of the last surviving institutions from the "old" East St. Louis, the Ainad Temple is a fascinating mix of brick and Moorish Revival decorative elements.

Inspired by buildings such as the Alhambra in Granada, Spain, it reflects an architectural frame of mind that was willing to borrow from any style that suited architects and their clients.

There was talk of moving two years ago, but I hope that they've changed their minds and chosen to stay.

Also, I will be presenting about the exciting future of St. Louis Patina at 7:00 PM at the Contemporary Art Museum on July 12th, in conjunction with PechaKucha St. Louis. I hope to see you there.

Some More Downtown East St. Louis

I'm always amazed by some of the beautiful storefronts on Collinsville Avenue, many featuring terracotta decorative elements that are still in good condition after decades of neglect.

Sadly, the back sides of many of the most elegant buildings in downtown are beginning to fail, and are slowing falling down into piles of concrete and rebar.

Grass lots are replacing what were once businesses, leaving the long sides of building exposed to view.

This house looks like it caught on fire at some point; despite the vinyl siding, I suspect this house is much older.

Also, I will be presenting about the exciting future of St. Louis Patina at 7:00 PM at the Contemporary Art Museum on July 12th, in conjunction with PechaKucha St. Louis. I hope to see you there.

Salon 482, East St. Louis

Also, I will be presenting about the exciting future of St. Louis Patina at 7:00 PM at the Contemporary Art Museum on July 12th, in conjunction with PechaKucha St. Louis. I hope to see you there.

Wendy's, East St. Louis

For some reason, when they tore down the rest of the Wendy's, they left the sign. On the other side it says "CLSED."

Also, I will be presenting about the exciting future of St. Louis Patina at 7:00 PM at the Contemporary Art Museum on July 12th, in conjunction with PechaKucha St. Louis. I hope to see you there.

Spivey Building, Revisited

I had the opportunity to photograph the long-suffering Spivey Building, supposedly the tallest building in southern Illinois. You can see previous pictures of the exterior and interior.

I was concerned that there was some new damage to the pediment of the building, but I looked back at old pictures and realized that it has been like that for a while.

The city wants to tear it down, but it has no money to do it. In many ways, it's sort of an awkward building; individual floors don't have much square footage, and there's plenty of room to build new buildings in downtown East St. Louis.

Bank Drive-In, East St. Louis

East St. Louis was still thriving in the 50's and 60's, and these really cool drive-up bank teller windows are evidence of that.

Built along an alley behind the bank, you can imagine cars swinging into these spots, and then heading out into the traffic of a bustling downtown.

Some More East St. Louis

I find East St. Louis sad but interesting; between the vacant lots are often times very beautiful buildings.

Churches are just as high quality as across the river, and they stand out amongst the landscape.

There are also lots of well-maintained houses, standing proud amongst the weeds of nearby vacant lots.

These two commercial buildings still have remnants of their signs; what were their original purposes, I wonder?

Venice Power Plant, Half Gone

I've been fascinated by the demolition of the Venice Power Plant, which I've covered before in the past.

Unlike a lot of demolitions, which start with the clearing of the interior, the demolition here is proceeding from front to back, revealing the still intact interior spaces before they're torn down.

I know nothing about power plants, other than they burn coal, creating steam that powers a generator; perhaps what those giant funnels do is pour coal down into the boilers.

There are four of them, and there were once four smokestacks, so I presume that is what they are.

There is a whole complex of other outbuildings, which I presume will be torn down as well.

If you or anyone you know worked in this plant, I would love to hear from you.

Armour Meat Packing Plant's End Coming Soon

Armour Meat Packing Plant, June 23, 2012

A couple of years ago, the new Mississippi River Bridge website published the following satellite image of the path of the Illinois approaches to the new bridge. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that only a portion of the historic stockyards around the old mule pens were in the way of the new road. My favorite ruin in the St. Louis area, Armour Meat Packing, sat uncomfortably close, but nonetheless safe for the time being.

You can understand my chagrin when I recently visited the site and found this new satellite image had been uploaded. If you look closely, you can see that new access road planned to be perpendicular to the new I-70 ends right in front of the main buildings of Armour. I would assume they plan on extending that road further, which of course would go right through the plant. Perhaps it's time for you to see it before it's gone.

New Mississippi Bridge, Towers Almost Topped Out

Old Kroger, Ohio Avenue Just South of Cherokee Street

This is the former home of Kroger's, robbed at gunpoint in 1959 by none other than James Earl Ray.

Old Army Munitions Plant

Not much has been happening to the old Army Munitions Plant since it was demolished several years ago.

Apparently the site was polluted, but it sits amidst a large group of warehouses and other industrial use facilities.

Other than illegal dumping, not much else is happening here.

Abandoned Factory, Walnut Park #2

What was once probably a machine room for the Barry-Wehmiller Machinery Co. sits open to the elements, hosting everything from the remnants of the resale business to the remainder of a game of bowling.