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.

Yes, You Can Force CVS to Do What You Want

I have been following the proposed demolition of the AAA Club on Lindell for a while now, but Vanishing St. Louis says it best here. While honestly, it's not the most urban building in the world, the AAA building is WAY better than the crap that the CVS chain builds. And speaking of them, despite what they claim, they can make buildings that respond to local tastes and context. This CVS, at the intersection of Henry and Clayton Roads, was forced to be a little more stylish than the average CVS. So yes, they will do it if you make them.

Honestly, I think the Preservation Board is a complete joke, more proficient at forcing small home owners to do their bidding than forcing major local power brokers to do what is right. I'll never forget the meeting where I saw the Board fine a private citizen for two freaking windows that weren't perfect enough for their tastes, while later on in the meeting they rolled over for a powerful local entity who shall remain anonymous. Basically, if the mayor's office or alderman wants the building saved, it will be, and if not, it's toast.

Heck, even Walgreen's tries a little bit harder if forced, as this store at Clayton and Clarkson Roads attests. Do I think these two stores I just showed are the pinnacles of Western architecture? Of course not, but they're slightly better than the average, ugly stores the two chains build.

Nelson Atkins Museum, Interior of New Addition

I was greatly impressed how the Henry Bloch addition sensitively complements the older Nelson-Atkins building.

It might be cliche, but it really is a symphony of curves and angles that harmonize together.

I was left wanting to just explore the new wing, walking up and down the long ramps and staircases.

The contemporary art shown in the new wing looks great in its complementary surroundings.

Modern architecture can reconcile with the classical art of the past.

Onassis Modern Building, Overland Park, Kansas

I don't know why I like this building, but its combination of classical elements and simple lines are appealing to me.I think it was just an office building or doctor's office.

Old School Denny's, South of Downtown Kansas City

Northwest Plaza Exterior

When will these walls coming crashing down, the victim of demolition?

Will there be any memory of what was here fifty years from now?

How could such a thriving place decline so rapidly? Was its hold on the retail market so tenuous?

Sears, Northwest Plaza

I have a sentimental soft spot for the Northwest Plaza Sears, as its architecture is very similar to the mall I went to as a child in Saginaw, Michigan, Fashion Square Mall.

I also realized that in some ways the architecture reminds me of Jabba the Hutt's palace from third Star Wars movie.

Perhaps a serious problem for Northwest Plaza was that while the interior received a face-lift, the outside did not.

Yes, that is a hawk sitting on the roof of the canopy in front of the store.

Lava rock abounds in this building, and it adds a nice touch to the decoration.

What They Wanted to Do to Soulard

This was the plan to completely demolish Soulard and turn it into the suburbs.

The Sun Sets on Crestwood Mall

I stopped by the Crestwood Sears last Thursday, looking for some good going-out-of-business-sale deals. I found the store just about completely stripped of all of its merchandise. I spent a lot of time at Crestwood Mall in the early 1990's, and it honestly pains me to see it close for good. Examining the Sears merchandise, I saw no problems in quality, nor in price. It just seems like shopping habits of St. Louis had passed Crestwood Mall by. I found myself coming to the Sears closing sale several times over the last two months; while I never shopped at the store when I had hung out at the mall, I felt a sense of sad duty to come and visit my old friend on its deathbed. I knew I could do nothing to save it, but I felt like I had to come by to say goodbye. The most depressing aspect was watching the employees drag themselves through their shifts, knowing that they would soon be out of a job, and perhaps for a long time. It's just sad to see this.

Northwest Plaza Famous Barr

Besides the Fairview Heights and South County stores, the Northwest Plaza Famous Barr is the third of the remaining signature domed departments stores.

Much ado has been made of the enclosure of the original outdoor mall, but it is interesting to see that the anchors at the mall changed very little on the exterior.

I'm fascinated by the concrete forms on the side of the store. Was it always painted white, and there was bare concrete originally?

Sadly, very few pictures seem to exist of the mall in its heyday, which is a shame, because I have fond memories of walking around in its courtyards.

Bartmer Avenue, West End

Tucked in the bend of Page Avenue are two blocks of stunning homes from the turn of the century. Laid out on curving streets like Compton Heights, Bartmer Avenue is a little rough around the edges now, but still filled with beautiful houses, including these two. I also realized I had been very close to this street several years ago, while exploring Chamberlain Avenue, but the blocked streets prevented its discovery until now.

The nearby Union Methodist Church owns the house above, and the church's guard, Derek, told us that a man once came and offered to buy the house itself and haul it away to another site. They declined.

Union Methodist is a stunning example of Modernist architecture, and look for a post in the future about this amazing building, perfectly intact for sixty years, at my colleague's site, B.E.L.T.

Modernist House, Town and Country

I recently had the opportunity to document a unique--and very long--modernist house out west in Town and Country. The developer/real estate agent kindly offered me the chance to document the house before it was demolished for a new house.

The house sits on a large lot, and has a beautiful pond in front of the house. Records show the house was first built in 1949, and then a large expansion and renovation pushed the house to close to 200 feet long, almost the entire width of the property.

The natural setting kept pulling my eyes away from the actual house, which is interesting in its own right.

The origins and architect of the house remain a mystery, but the original portion of the house captures beautiful views out to the flowering magnolias and other landscaping features.

While comparisons to the more famous Morton D. May house could be made, I don't feel it's the best comparison. While the May house had large amounts of original fabric, I'm afraid upon my inspection that this house was stripped of any interesting Modernist fixtures or accents in the 1980's renovation.

What was left was largely a very giant house, stretching a long way and with a lot of oddly shaped rooms lacking Modernist context.

The back of the house was not looking too hot, and betrayed its age. The living room, seen below, was really the centerpiece of the interior of the house.

I can imagine how originally this room followed Frank Lloyd Wright's desire for the interior and exterior to flow seamlessly between the two realms.

But unfortunately, like all flat roofed houses (and particularly seeming to strike Modernist houses), the only thing flowing the day I was there was an obviously large pool of standing water on the roof, as evidenced by the reflected ripples on the wall above the ceiling. Stripped of its original fabric, this Modernist house is an interesting footnote in St. Louis architectural history.

Philip Vincent, who generously allowed me to photograph the house before it was demolished, asked me to post this:

I'd like to give you a couple facts about the house. Built in 1949, 6000 square feet, 180 feet wide. The old house prevented people from understanding the true size of the 2.6 acres.

After a year of showing it to rehabbers and Modern "fans" we have decided to bring the old house down to make way for a new home in the 1.5 to 2 million range. The new home will also be 6000 square feet (but not 180 feet wide!) The realtor is Phillip Vincent 314-537-7445 with the Hermann London Group. My website is http://www.hermannlondon.com/phillip-vincent

Former Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church, Jennings

Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church, built as the wave of migration to the suburbs picked up in the 1950's, is now a victim to that same migration that has continued further west. It is now closed, and converted into a senior center.

Unfortunately, as can be seen in these older photos of the church's interior, it is a unique building, and many of its original features are now gone.

As can be seen below, the owners have still not definitively fixed the ongoing roof problems, present since the time this was still a Catholic parish. Shingles have impaled themselves on the chain link fence below.

Likewise, this stone could use a good powerwash.

But from what I've seen from pictures, the stained glass must be truly wonderful to see from the inside.

Sadly, the parish house seen in the Built St. Louis photo has been demolished, and the school is closed, boarded up with now weathered plywood.

Upon closer inspection, the copper gutter was ripped back from its mooring along the roof. Was it just the weather, or has someone begun to scavenge for copper on this neglected building? The results are immediate, as the water is now running down the side of the building.

Across the street, a house sits abandoned. Did the owners once walk across the street to mass? Why is this house in this shape now?