Hyde Park and Brick Theft

Brick theft occurs throughout the north side of St. Louis east of Grand Blvd, but I rarely it see it in the fairly densely populated Hyde Park neighborhood.

That's why I was concerned when I spotted this wall that had been knocked out near a window. I can't imagine any other possible need to do this, unless it was a brick thief trying to undermine the wall. Thankfully, I remember that this has been like this for a while, so it seems they haven't come back.

Touring the Northside

It's always interesting to take someone up to the North Side inside Grand for the first time; last week, I took my friend Jeff, in from China, up around some of my favorite neighborhoods. The desolation, and houses decimated by brick theft, were shocking to Jeff.

I'd always been intrigued by this small, wood frame building, sitting as the last remaining structure on the block just west of St. Augustine. Why this building survived, and nothing else, is one of the great mysteries of this section of St. Louis Place. You can see it in the midst of other outbuildings in the Sanborn map below.

"What happened to that house?!" was Jeff's first reaction to this brick-rustled house nearby.

But all is not lost, as these two houses below illustrate, up at the top of the hill near the water towers.

The house above was abandoned until it was rehabbed a few years ago. The house below is well maintained, and shows that someone still cares on this block.

Further on up, near O'Fallon Park, the streets are lined with numerous, beautiful houses, well maintained and anchoring this corner of the Northside. If only this level of care could spread further from this area, the entire Northside would be a stunning place to live.

It's always fun to show people what the north half of the city is really like, good and bad, and I had a great day showing Jeff around the Northside.

More Holy Trinity Church, Hyde Park

Almost exactly three years later, I returned and took some photographs of Holy Trinity Church in Hyde Park. The first time was a dramatic, sunny midday shoot, while this time the long, golden rays of light from the setting sun cast the church in a totally different way.It's a strange, but beautiful Gothic Revival church, with a profusion of rose windows on the nave, and not just on the front facade and transepts. The great thing about 19th Century revival styles is that the architects frequently did whatever they wanted, breaking rules as it suited them.Above, St. Michael slaying the dragon adorns a pinnacle of a flying buttress, while below is one of the most fascinating and unique depictions of the Holy Trinity, where God the Father replaces the Virgin Mary in a Pieta scene. The Holy Spirit looks on from above.

Salisbury Street: New Lease on Life

My favorite (and many others) commercial building in North St. Louis is being renovated by the city. I am very excited that the heart of Hyde Park will see new development that is conscious of the historic context of the neighborhood.Fresh plywood indicates which buildings will be renovated.I love the original late 19th Century cast iron pillars, which will be graced by fresh paint soon.I also get a kick out of the last renovation, which attempted to cloak historic building in fake colonial revival decoration.

Pinnacle, Holy Trinity, Hyde Park

Recent Photography in Hyde Park #5

This house fascinated me with its interesting interior space in the backyard.Now in a state of collapse, it will probably not be renovated any time soon.

Recent Photography in Hyde Park #4

While many buildings remains abandoned, new plywood signals the homes that will be renovated soon.This little house is interesting; it clearly is in an architectural style that postdates the vast majority of houses in the neighborhood.More new plywood signals hope for long abandoned buildings on this block.I find this last storefront interesting; normally, such cast iron fronts are on corners in residential neighborhoods, and it's unique in my experience to have one in the middle of the block. I think it was originally a house that was adapted for commercial use.

Recent Photography in Hyde Park #3

What most impresses me about Hyde Park is the large number of streets that are still intact, even if they're abandoned right now.The problem with large portions of other neighborhoods east of Grand is that city leaders gave up on the houses and demolished them.With so many houses still standing, there is still the chance they'll be fixed up before they become structurally unsound.Likewise, houses that have been continuously occupied provide stability while the neighborhood around them tries to get back on its feet.

Recent Photography in Hyde Park #2

I like the back porch on this house in Hyde Park; while much of the neighborhood is from the 1800's, some is more recent, as this building attests.The good news is that rehabilitation is coming to Hyde Park, in the form of numerous renovated buildings.Fresh plywood delineates the buildings marked for rehab, and they were wisely chosen from some of the best housing stock in the neighborhood.It will be interesting to see how it turns in the coming months.

Recent Photography in Hyde Park #1

I made it up to Hyde Park about a month ago around sunset, and I was rewarded with rich, warm hues on the brick of the houses.The neighborhood is surprisingly intact, if abandoned in many areas.What is most fascinating is to see how dense this neighborhood was at one point.Looking closely, you can see what was most likely a outside staircase that accessed the top floor apartment of this building. It looks pretty rickety now, but it demonstrates how people lived on top of each other in many St. Louis neighborhoods.

Bethlehem Lutheran

Bethlehem Lutheran's owners apparently want to tear the church down, but lack the money to do so. Thank God, as it is an incredibly beautiful church that should still be here when Hyde Park rebounds, of which it is already showing signs.The church is in bad shape, but obviously not past the point of rehabilitation.In a city dominated by beautiful Roman Catholic churches, it's great to see the Lutherans representing as well.Yes, this is the home of the infamous Jesus statue in the cellar. I love how this church dominates the view of northbound North Florissant Avenue.

Kentucky Fried Checks Cashed