11 Most Enhanced Awards for 2001
THERE CAN BE NO
DOUBT THAT PRESERVATION IS PROGRESS: The total amount invested
by the 11 Most Enhanced Award winners from 2001 topped $123 million! Participants at this year’s award ceremony gathered
at the Westin Cupples Station on May 14 to congratulate and thank those groups
and individuals responsible for improving and enlivening the City’s physical
and cultural environment. After an
introduction of clever musical numbers by the Dogtown Tenors, guests enjoyed
the splendid hospitality of the Westin, a slide show highlighting the broad
span of winning projects and the presentation of LANDMARKS’ signature
tiles adapted from Compton & Dry’s 1875 views of St. Louis by Pat Hays
Baer.
To be considered for an award this year, a project must have been
completed between January 1, 2000, and May 10, 2001. The dedicated jury (Don Bergmann, Jeff Brambila, John Burse, Jan
Cameron, Barb Geisman, Karl Grice, Dan Hellmuth, Sterling Miller, Gary Tetley
and Carolyn Toft) also looked for geographical balance, for different building
types exhibiting various styles and dates of construction along with a range of
ownership and financial collaborations.
A
few years ago we received a phone call asking LANDMARKS’ opinion about a
vacant grocery store at the corner of Delmar and Des Peres. “Could the building qualify for historic
rehab credits?” The staff thought it
was highly unlikely, even though the building is within the boundaries of the
Skinker DeBaliviere Historic District.
When we researched the district certification in 1984, the store was not
50 years old. It was also camouflaged
by gray paint and vinyl siding.
Happily, the folks at Design Alliance did not accept this verdict. Intrigued by the adjoining parking lot,
proximity to MetroLink plus Joe Edwards' plans for the new Pageant Theater, the
firm went ahead and acquired the property.
After a bit of archeology, the almost intact bones of a 1940 Moderne
design by Saum Architects were unearthed.
A lot more searching turned up the original
plans at City Hall. Next, Karen Baxter
prepared a comprehensive single site nomination to the National
Register–tracing the corporate history of A & P back to the Great Atlantic
& Pacific Tea Company organized in Manhattan in 1859. Today, Design Alliance occupies 4,500
square feet in the transformed A & P Store. The intrepid architectural firm acted as its
own general contractor for the $325,000 renovation, an assignment it would not
repeat! Financing included the Small
Business Administration, Enterprise Bank plus federal and state historic rehab
credits.
* * *
America
is fast becoming a musical nation, and the pay for competent musicians is
steadily increasing. Aside from all
this, what profession brings one more prominently before the people or
associates one with a better class of society?
The musician is always a welcome and a popular guest. From the
Beethoven Conservatory of Music catalogue for 1893.
Established
in 1871, the conservatory had just moved into a handsome new building on
fashionable Lucas Place where its extensive faculty offered voice, violin,
piano, organ, harp, cello, coronet, flute, guitar and mandolin along with
harmony and composition, counterpoint, German and elocution. But the conservatory designed in 1891 by
Beinke & Wees was sited on a rapidly changing street. In less than two decades, Lucas Place would
become Locust Street. Engulfed by
warehouses and manufacturing facilities, the conservatory moved west.
This
building was adapted first for Otis Elevator, then Cordes Printing Co. In early 2000, Bruton/Stroube Studios (commercial photographers working
primarily for art directors and designers) set about the task of recycling the
resilient old conservatory into yet another use. Bill Wischmeyer of Christner, Inc. designed the space; David
Ruggeri was in charge of construction.
Federal and State historic rehabs credits were essential components of
the financing from Commerce Bank for this $3 million project.
(Landmarks’ annual membership meeting
was held on June 3 at the former conservatory.)
* * *
With
its two-story gallery facing east toward the Mississippi River, the slender
brick house at 3218 Osceola was probably constructed in the
township of Carondelet. No, it has not
been moved. The land upon which this
house was built lies on a hill in the northeast quadrant of the 6,000-acre
common field tract granted to the village of Carondelet by the Spanish in
1796. The City of St. Louis did not
annex Carondelet Township until 1870.
Tracking
down the lineage of this distinctive building is part of Karen Baxter’s
assignment, since owner Bob Wood is applying for Federal and State historic
state credits and the house will need to be listed individually on the National
Register. Realtor Wood bought the
property from an estate in 1999 and spent $120,000 removing dropped ceilings,
exposed ductwork and replacing aluminum with wood windows. He also repointed the brick, rebuilt
brackets and eave details, stripped woodwork, repaired plaster, installed a new
roof, a kitchen and bathrooms.
* * *
Periodically,
Landmarks recognizes outstanding examples of new construction within an
historic context. This was one of those
years. Perched above Highway 40 near
Forest Park, both the Day and
Boarding School and Research Center at the Central Institute for the Deaf respect the sunny Mediterranean architectural vocabulary
established for the Institute’s campus in 1929 by William B. Ittner. The new architecture by John Gunther at
Mackey Mitchell Associates provides links between old and new, creates a
beautiful outdoor courtyard and light-filled classrooms and yet also manages to
address the fast-paced freeway. All
this was achieved in spite of the most stringent requirements for noise control
so that deaf children can learn how to speak using their residual hearing and
lip reading. S.M. Wilson was the
contractor for the privately financed, $32 million project. (See page ? for a special event planned at
Central Institute.)
* * *
A
very different project involving new construction is located at 1423 Hebert in the Old North St. Louis Historic
District. Only a few years ago the 1884
Italianate townhouse stood empty, a fire-damaged former drug house owned by the
city. Ernie and Jeanne Stanley,
next-door neighbors who share a property line with the derelict, reluctantly
purchased the two-story house as an insurance policy against further unwelcome
uses. But when Ernie’s mother Evelyn
decided to move from Minnesota to be closer to family, the Stanley clan began
collaborating with master builder Tom Tschetter of Havens Contracting and
architect John Burse. (Both Tom and
John are residents of the old North St. Louis neighborhood.)
The
result is a perfect mother-in-law retreat and design solution. The historic building has been rescued and
enhanced by a ground floor bedroom addition set back from the street—nestled
into the small backyard behind a private walkout terrace. Inside the old portion of the house, the
kitchen opens into the first floor living area with new stairway to the large
studio space above. State historic tax
credits helped the family achieve this $125,000 commitment to their historic
neighborhood.
* * *
The
diminutive Art Deco police stations designed by Albert A. Osburg (Chief
Architect for the Board of Public Service) punctuate a number of St. Louis
neighborhoods. But in January of 1990,
the city elected to consolidate its police force into 3 “superstations.” Six of the Depression-era stations were put
up for sale. An attempt in 1993 to turn
the old 3rd district station in Soulard into a glassworks did not
materialize and the building sat empty for another 7 years. Ron Buechele, a Soulard resident with a
degree in art from Maryville, purchased it in 2000. But Ron’s day job is a perfect fit with the former slammer: for the last 15 years, he has served on the
County police force.
Working
with Paul Fendler & Associates architects, Ron created the hottest new
gallery and event space in town. Free
admittance to a recent exhibit was predicated on “dressed for success”
attire--an intriguing challenge.
Success seems very likely for this gallery. Nearby corporations are always looking for offbeat meeting spots
near Anheuser-Busch brewery and its visitors’ center. Mad Art Gallery is right across the street.
* * *
Most
of the Central West End Historic District saw dramatic escalation in property
values within the last two decades. An exception
until just a few years ago was the 4300 block of Maryland Avenue. Located between Boyle and Newstead just east
of the new Cathedral, the street includes a variety of building types. When the great exodus from the city began in
earnest in the 1960s, this block was hit hard.
The Doorways organization rescued the former Methodist Orphan’s Home in
1993 after years of neglect and threats of demolition. Other historic buildings were not so
lucky. Some were demolished; several
became flophouses including a 1904 apartment building divided into 16
units. But rather than press for
demolition of what appeared to be a drug-house, neighborhood residents pushed
for arrests and new ownership. Their
patience has been rewarded.
Thanks
to historic rehab credits, a small development company named the Central West
End Builders, decided to focus on this block.
The former flophouse at 4348-52 Maryland is now an attractive six-unit condomium. Financing for the $625,000 project designed
by Clinton Borror came from the developer and Montgomery First National Bank.
This is the third major accomplishment for Central West End Builders Sue
Kuo-Nguyen and husband Uan Nguyen.
* * *
Built
in 1913 from plans by Mauran, Russell & Garden, the so-called Merchandise
Mart Annex is a background building in a neighborhood of architectural
superstars. The adjoining original
Mart, the Rice-Stix building from 1888 by Isaac Taylor, is surely one of the
most magnificent Romanesque Revival warehouses in the Midwest. Yet the first condominiums offered for sale
in downtown St. Louis drew a swarm of serious buyers to the Annex.
Credit
for the overwhelming market response must go to developer Craig Heller and his
architect Kelly Stockie who fashioned a drop-dead model from bare bones
space. Craig generously opened the unit
for press conferences, Art Saint Louis exhibits and other events including a
Landmarks’ Board meeting during the initial phase of work. Construction was by Pyramid Contractors;
Firstar provided construction and permanent financing for the $10,500,00
project. State historic rehab tax
credits were part of the equity.
Residents of the 10th
Street Lofts have already
become outspoken advocates for downtown living and downtown architecture, proof
indeed that the future of downtown lies with its resident population.
* * *
Tucked
away in the northwest corner of St. Louis near the City Limits, the house at 5642 Pamplin Place was one of at least 30 brick
residences constructed in 1909 by an energetic developer from Maplewood named
Albert B. Finch. This activity
coincided with the first transit line on West Florissant to run beyond Calvary
Cemetery. At the beginning of the 20th
century, the present Walnut Park West neighborhood lay far outside the crowded
immigrant concentrations in Hyde Park and Old North St. Louis. Lots 30 x 140 feet could be had for $100
each. Construction costs were also
low. Finch’s building permit from April
20 for three, 2½ story brick houses (including this house on Pamplin Place)
records a total cost of $9000 for all three.
Ninety
years later it would take $170,000 to rehab only one of those three. Vacant for almost 10 years, fire-ridden and
waterlogged, the house was acquired by the Riverview West Florissant Housing Corporation,
which hired Structural Concepts Inc. and Mak Architects. St. Louis Community Development
Administration funding helped make this project happen; other financing came
from United Missouri Bank.
* * *
Saxon
immigrants founded Trinity German Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1839. It would soon become a steadfast hub of
German-American Lutheranism. Not
deterred by the 1896 tornado that destroyed their brick church from 1864, the
congregation immediately embarked on construction of a new church, a new school
and a parsonage designed by Charles F. May.
Completed, the complex formed an essential part of an unusually
picturesque streetscape on South 8th Street. It still does.
In
contrast to many other denominations, the faithful at Trinity have elected to
remain in the City and replenish their architectural resources. The latest accomplishment is converting the Parsonage at 812 Soulard Street into a community center where church
offices combine with meeting space, parish education and an outlet for
emergency food and clothing.
Johannes-Cohen Cooperative was hired as architect; Spiegelglass
Construction Company built the $650,000 project. The Lutheran Church Extension Fund issued a line of credit for
the renovation and will hold the mortgage.
Members and friends of the congregation and friends have pledged over
$550,000 to pay down the loan over the next four years.
* * *
The
final award has special meaning to those of us at LANDMARKS. More than 15 years ago, the staff completed
a National Register nomination for the 10 remaining buildings in the Cupples
Warehouse complex. But Washington
University, owner of the complex since a 1900 gift, took advantage of its right
to object to listing on the Register.
The nomination, reviewed and approved at the State and Federal levels,
would sit in limbo for the next decade.
Meanwhile, ownership passed to Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Missouri. Demolition plans to provide parking for a
hockey arena surfaced in 1989.
LANDMARKS responded by putting Cupples on its
Most Endangered list, commissioning color photographs of the complex by Robert
C. Pettus and presenting one of its Birds of the Year Awards, the Turkey
Vulture, to the city’s Economic Development Corporation for its role in the
scheme. Key to the any reuse project
was Mayor Vince Schoemehl’s 1991 decision to oppose demolition. So was our 1994 initiative to help fund a
predevelopment study in partnership with the National Trust for Historic
Preservation. Richard Baron and Polly
Kinslow led the effort for developer McCormack Baron & Associates; Andy
Trivers was in charge of the architecture.
Seven years later on March 8, 2001, ribbon cutting at the stylish new Westin Hotel attracted a full compliment of
dignitaries voicing unanimous praise for the $75 million project. (We even saw some who had scoffed at
Cupples’ prospects for adaptive use.)
Fittingly, we asked Richard Baron to
conclude the May 14 award ceremonies at the Westin. His spontaneous message of encouragement emboldened those in the
room who had already made commitments to high quality architecture and open
space.
* * *
LANDMARKS’ Eleven Most
Endangered list for 2001 replaced an early stone house in Carondelet (Steins Row
is being rehabbed) with Busch Stadium, a superb example of 20th
century concrete construction. All the
other sites from 2000 are unfortunately still threatened.
All information and illustrations on these pages
are from the collections of the
Landmarks Association of St. Louis, Inc.
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