Winkelmann Mansion, Almost Gone

I know that a lot of people love this house, and are very upset that it's made it to this point where a strong storm might very well collapse the rest of the house. I count myself as one of them.

Once one of many mansions along St. Louis Avenue belonging to wealthy German-American industrialists, it had found new life as a funeral home, which in turn closed long ago.

I've been looking at and photographing the house for years, and it's depressing to see it reach this point. See my earlier posts here and here.

I normally don't condone graffiti, but in the case of this house,the simple word "legacy" on the plywood is particularly poignant.

McKee promised to save what he called "legacy properties" to go along with his new development, and this one was supposedly going to be one of these properties.

Judging from the neglect shown this building, and its savaging by brick thieves, there isn't going to be much of a legacy left of this building in the coming years.

McKee's New Development in Near North Side

According to the Post-Dispatch, Paul McKee has learned his lesson from the demise of his original TIF, and has instead focused on smaller projects. Good, I say.

Judge Throws Out McKee's $390 Million NorthSide TIF

The Post-Dispatch is reporting that Robert Dierker has thrown out the Northside TIF. More to come in the future, I'm sure. Personally, I was wondering what was taking McKee so long to get started. It seems like he had never lined up any funding, and was just dithering for the last year. What does this mean for the Near North Side???

Northside

So when is the announcement going to be when McKee admits he can't line up the funding and the whole Northside project is off?

More Brick Theft?

Back in August I covered the despoliation of the block of Hebert just east of Parnell in the St. Louis Place neighborhood.While it might be little hard to see, these houses have been hit hard by brick thieves. The back portions, not pictured, are completely gone; I am certain the rest of the beautiful houses will gone soon too.

Northside Update

Slay signs the Morthside redevelopment plan.

Lawyer Seeking Restraining Order Against Northside TIF

Read the story here.

Two New McKee Articles

McKee's Northside Faces Tough Sell

WingHaven Has Had Its Ups and Downs

McKee TIF Scaled Back From Gargantuan to Colossal

Read about the latest developments here at the P-D.

Slay Letter

Scan courtesy of Barbara Manzara

Rally Against McKee

The rally on Saturday against Paul McKee began at Sts. Teresa and Bridget's Catholic Church at N. Grand and N. Market.All throughout the march, we witnessed McKee's cronies cleaning up yards of their property. Perhaps they're worried that McKee will finally be cited for the dozens of code violations his properties break?It was good to see so many leaders who have real clout out and marching with regular citizens of the St. Louis area.A reporter from KMOX was there for the closing speeches at N. Florissant and N. Market, where the march concluded. It will be interesting to see if it gets on the radio.Among the speakers shown are April Ford Griffin, Sheila Rendon and other public officials whose names I have forgotten.

Slay Letter to April Ford-Griffin Regarding McKee

Among the many matters discussed by speakers at the Saturday rally against Paul McKee was a letter that April Ford Griffin, alderwoman of the 5th ward, received on October 3.

After a standard opening, Slay states the following:

I strongly support more private investment in the 5th ward as long as it creates quality jobs and improves the quality of life for the people who live in the 5th ward.

Any development must reflect the ward's diversity. It would be beneficial if it includes both affordable housing and market rate housing.

Any major redevelopment plan will not go forward until and unless there is public input, which includes open dialogue among the developers, the residents and elected officials.

I will not support eminent domain for owner occupied properties.

I will not support a redevelopment plan that does not have community support expressed through the community's elected representatives.

I will oppose Old North St. Louis being part of a major redevelopment plan unless the residents want to be included.

My administration will not sell LRA holdings as part of a major redevelopment plan unless the community supports the plan through their elected representatives.

Anyone who owns property in the 5th ward must take care of it by meeting codes to ensure public safety and health.

The last bullet point from Slay is interesting, as workers were out all over the place on Saturday as we marched by, cleaning up McKee's properties. I wonder if it was a coincidence? One of the workers had threatened one of the speakers the day before; it reminds me of my own experience with McKee's henchmen on Montgomery Street.

I will post pictures of the march as soon as I get back to my base of operations to download the images from my camera.

Blairmont on Knapp Street

Knapp Street in Old North St. Louis is a short, two block long street that is barricaded with Schoemehl Pots on the north end, effectively rendering the street highly isolated. The following houses appear to be abandoned, and the first is 3248.These two small houses, which could be very, very old, sit further south on the street at 3240 and 3242.This heavily damaged and deteriorating hulk set far back from the street is 3261.
I felt bad photographing this street, as an elderly woman came out and was looking at me, as her two dogs barked at me. I don't blame her suspicion of outsiders in the neighborhood; in my experience outsiders are usually to blame for crime in other people's neighborhoods. I can only imagine what unethical action she thought I was engaging in, photographing what appear to be just four more abandoned, neglected buildings in the city.

Blairmont on N. 20th Street

Blairmont has apparently moved into a neighborhood of considerable redevelopment: Old North St. Louis. Just about the entire 3200 block of 20th Street is now owned by the shady consortium. Below is 3236.Here is 3237--I think. It may be the vacant lot next door; it's hard to tell when people don't put house numbers out. But the telephone book sitting unclaimed on the front porch makes this house look abandoned, even with its shiny mail slot.Here is 3238, which looks occupied with a car in the background.And finally, here is 3239, which is a wonderful house that has been snatched from the hands of renovators who certainly would have tried to renovate this house.Are these houses the wildest and most exciting houses in the city? Of course not, but occupied and renovated, they help contribute to the fabric of the city.