Covenant Blu/Grand Center’s boundaries are defined as Dr. Martin L. King Drive to the North, North Compton Avenue to the East, Olive Street to the South, and North Vandeventer Avenue to the West.

Between 1880 and 1900, the city’s population began to expand to the west. Saint Louis University established its main campus on Grand Boulevard in 1888. Many of the city’s affluent families built large, beautiful mansions near Grand Boulevard, many of which are still standing today. The addition of hospitals, medical office buildings, pharmacies, and churches helped to create the neighborhoods that surround Grand Center.

Between 1900 and 1920, Grand Center began to evolve into the city’s main center for the arts and entertainment. Development of the area consisted of the addition of several theaters, which included the Odeon, Princess, Victoria, Grand Central, and Empress Theaters.

Throughout the 1930s, the area thrived, despite the economic woes of the Great Depression. The same was true for the 1940s. Grand Center also became a major hub for public transportation, first via streetcar and later via bus. It was during this era that the famous playhouses were built, which include the Missouri Theater, Fox Theater, and St. Louis Theater (today's Powell Symphony Hall).

Grand Center began to experience a decline in the area following the Second World War. Suburban expansion increased dramatically and the City consequently experienced an extensive decrease in population. As the population left the City, businesses, healthcare facilities and other community assets closed their doors. This exodus further facilitated the decline of the area. Sequentially, audience numbers began to dwindle at the local theaters and most were forced to close. Covenant Blu/Grand Center remained economically depressed for the next several decades.

The last decade, however, has shown extensive economic development as the City, its residents and private investors strive to revitalize Grand Center and restore its previous luster and fame. The St. Louis Theatre was purchased by the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra in 1965, and the building was renamed Powell Symphony Hall. Most of these revitalization efforts did not materialize until the 1980s. Grand Center was designated a National Historic District, which helped to secure federal grant money and increase investment. The Fox Theatre was reopened in 1982, after having closed in the late 1970s. The Sheldon Concert Hall also reopened its doors in 1986. Several arts and education organizations- over 25- located in the area. This movement had a significant impact on the appearance of the area, as many of the boarded-up, vacant buildings were either demolished or restored. Grand Center, Inc., also established itself in the area. Grand Center, Inc. is a not-for-profit urban redevelopment corporation that plays a major role in redeveloping the area. Several other improvements have been made in the 1990s, some of which include the relocation of KETC/Channel 9 and the planned construction of the Pulitzer art facility. Covenant Blu has not experienced, however, the same attention and recent success that Grand Center has managed to achieve.

Characteristics

The Grand Center/Covenant Blu neighborhood is a mixed-use area of St. Louis that serves both as an entertainment district as well a residential district. Grand Center operates as the City’s premier arts and cultural district, providing concert halls and theatrical performances as well as other cultural events. Covenant Blu is an economically depressed residential area situated adjacent to Grand Center. Although located next to each other, both serve as two distinct and separate entities: Grand Center is more commercial, Covenant Blu is residential. In the past, Grand Center was a thriving cultural district that served as a major transportation hub within the City. After World War II, urban flight left much of the area in despair and economically depressed; many of its residents and commercial constituents left.

Today, while Grand Center is experiencing a rebirth the adjacent neighborhood Covenant Blu is still struggling. Covenant Blu consists of many solid brick buildings, many of which are vacant. Recent estimates claim approximately 80 percent vacancy in the neighborhood’s buildings. Much of this is a result of the "urban flight" that has taken place over the past few decades. Decreasing property value, crime, and a lack of investment has left a great portion of the neighborhood in a less desirable condition. The Blumeyer Apartments, which are public housing, are located within the neighborhood. A majority of these apartments have recently been vacated and there are plans to raze and rebuild upgraded residential facilities. There are several changes that are currently taking place. Heavy investment is needed in the area to remove structurally unstable, derelict buildings. Some of the plans include the construction of a new high school, the construction of new single-family homes by Pyramid Construction Co., and the removal of derelict buildings. Redevelopment plans have focused on removing irretrievable buildings and building new homes. Covenant Blu has recently been receiving more funds through grants since becoming a part of the Sustainable Neighborhoods program run by St. Louis 2004. Further aid has also been due in part to the economic development potential of being located next to Grand Center.

The Grand Center portion of the neighborhood provides numerous cultural, artistic, educational and entertainment facilities. Some of these include Fox Theatre, Grandel Theatre, the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis, the Forum for Contemporary Art, KETC Channel 9, the Regional Arts Commission, the St. Louis Black Repertory Company, the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra at Powell Symphony Hall, and the Sheldon Concert Hall. These are just a few of such organizations located in Grand Center. Some major churches in the neighborhood include the National Memorial Church of God in Christ, St. Alphonsus "Rock" Catholic Church, Scruggs Memorial, St. Luke’s Memorial, and the Third Baptist Church. These churches play an active role in the community’s welfare, sustainability, and social structure. St. Alphonsus Rock Church has been particularly active in preparing residential plans for the area. They are currently working in conjunction with the Grand-Rock Economic Development Corporation to build new townhouses to attract families and increase owner occupancy. Some of the major social service providers include Father Dempsey’s Home, the Scottish Rite Clinic for Childhood Language Disorders, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Neighbor-to-Neighbor and Americorps. There is a Community Education Center (CEC) located at Stevens Middle School. There is also a Salvation Army Family Haven, a YWCA Youth Program that offers after school programs, and nearby elderly services. Saint Louis University is located on the neighborhood’s south side. The presence of the university has resulted in the construction and renovation of some of the City’s most prestigious and beautiful architecture. SLU also plays an active role in redevelopment, most of that includes expansion of the university and the creation of parking space. Covenant Blu offers several active community gardens. One of the City’s most successful community gardens is Bell Gardens, located within the neighborhood. The garden’s participants include both neighborhood residents and individuals from all over the Metro area. Pyramid Construction Company has been one of the only construction companies that has played an active role in the redevelopment of residential neighborhoods within St. Louis proper, having built six new town houses in Covenant Blu and several others in adjacent neighborhoods. Other community organizations include the Midtown Alliance Home Owners Association and Cochran Veteran’s Hospital.

Continued renovation and reuse of existing structures is essential to preserve some of the early architecture in the Grand Center/Covenant Blu neighborhoods. Among the organizations investing in the redevelopment of the area are social services and job development programs. The Carver Community School provides a portion of the needed support to the community, including both children’s and family services. The Grand-Rock Community Development Corporation has been active in the construction of new single-family town houses throughout the area. Pyramid Construction Company has invested in the neighborhood by building six new townhouses as Phase I of a 10-year development plan; three houses have been built on Finney and three have been built on Cook. Plans for further construction are in development. Phase II of the development plan will concentrate near the intersection of Page and Vandeventer Boulevard. The City of St. Louis had developed a plan for the Covenant Blu Scattered Sites Area that incorporates urban design regulations for the rehabilitation of existing structures. These design regulations include plans to construct buildings that resemble the original exterior and design of the buildings.

Construction on the new Cardinal Ritter High School on Enright is to begin next year, which will provide an excellent community asset for its residents. A large portion of the Blumeyer Apartments Housing Projects is scheduled to be demolished, with the construction of new single- and multi-family town houses to replace them. The long-term plan is to renovate structurally sound buildings and remove those that are not. In place of those removed, plans include the construction of more single-family dwellings in hope of increasing owner occupancy and increasing property value. Its close proximity to the increasingly successful Grand Center further promotes the redevelopment of Covenant Blu. To encourage and foster a sense of community involvement and growth, neighborhood organizations are working to provide programs that address crime prevention, drug intervention, mentoring programs, Boy and Girl Scout troops, summer day camps, community-oriented policing, and psychological and academic testing.

The North Central Plan Coalition, composed of neighborhood groups, social organizations, and economic interests, is near completion on a plan that includes the western half of the neighborhood. The plan will provide opportunities to build consensus in future development.