DUTCHTOWN (16)
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LOCATION
Dutchtown boundaries are defined as Chippewa Street to the North, Jefferson to the West, to Meramec Street on the South, to Virginia on the West, and to Walsh Street on the South.

HISTORY
Originally settled by German immigrants at the beginning of the twentieth century, Dutchtown still retains its strong German identity. As originally surveyed, a portion of present-day Dutchtown, south of Chippewa to Bates Street, was a part of the Commonfield of Carondelet. The City annexed this area in 1870. In 1875, it was still rural in character, but development was heavy north of Chippewa and east of Jefferson. Laclede Park was acquired in 1854 from City reservations in the old Commons. Marquette Park, at Osage and Minnesota, was acquired in 1915 from the Board of Children's Guardians. A swimming pool was built in 1917.

St. Anthony of Padua, located at Meramec Street and Michigan Avenue, is the oldest Catholic Church in the area. The church was completed in 1869, and its parochial schools were opened in 1970. St. Anthony's High School was erected in 1922, as well as a monastery in 1931 and new parochial school in 1962. The well-known Alexian Brothers Hospital at 3933 South Broadway opened its doors in 1870. Over the years the hospital had experienced continual growth, with a new building program continually underway.

The older homes in the neighborhood are located north of Meramec Street. This area is composed mostly of two- and four-family flats mixed with a smaller number of single-family dwellings. The architecture displays an obvious Germanic influence, reflective of the area's early inhabitants. Most were erected between 1890 and 1910, while the oldest few date back to the 1870's.

Grand Boulevard Park and Grand-Meramec Park subdivisions were developed on the site of old Hashagen's Park in the late 1910s. Some of the later development in Dutchtown was the construction of apartments near Spring and Delor, which occurred in the 1960s.

The commercial areas developed primarily around major transit lines, which include Chippewa, Meramec, Gravois, Grand and Jefferson. South of Meramec, Virginia Avenue served as the main commercial street. Presently, commercial property on Meramec east of Grand has been reduced throughout the years, whereas commercial districts along Grand between Gravois and Chippewa are well maintained.

CHARACTERISTICS
The neighborhood consists of an abundance of national identities, with a more recent arrival of Eastern Europeans such as Bosnians, as well as Vietnamese and Latinos. Other residents include individuals who have lived in the area for decades, as well as younger couples and new homeowners.

Dutchtown offers affordable housing for both the homeowner and the renter. Much of the housing stock was built at the turn of the century, with some of the architecture in the Flounder style mixed in with the more abundant German style. There are a good number of well-maintained homes found within Dutchtown.

There are also several buildings in the area in need of structural improvement. There are many incentives offered to individuals interested in rehabbing the numerous historic buildings Dutchtown has to offer. These include loan programs and tax abatement. Many of the older, more familiar buildings have had recent facelifts. One such building is the well-known Old Stork Inn on the 4400 block of Virginia, which now houses an art glass studio and a creamery next door. Several improvements continue to be made with the construction of social and healthcare facilities, such as the new Dutchtown Care Center on Gasconade and the new Alexian Brothers Community Care Center on Grand. Dutchtown, as well as many of the older sections of St. Louis, does have several derelict buildings that are unoccupied and in need of serious investment , lest they face inevitable demolition.

INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS
Dutchtown offers 12 public, private, and parochial schools ranging from elementary to high schools, including one magnet school. The neighborhood also includes approximately two dozen churches that include a broad variety of denominations and affiliations. Also of great convenience is the availability of six parks within the neighborhood and a recreational facility containing tennis courts, a baseball diamond, soccer fields, basketball courts located within a large gymnasium, and an Olympic size swimming pool.

Nearby medical facilities include Alexian Brothers Hospital and Lutheran Medical Center. The Meramec Street Antique District is located within the neighborhood, offering a variety of antiques and specialty shops. The city's most renowned antique and collectibles shopping district, known to many simply as Cherokee Street, is located nearby in the adjacent Marine Villa neighborhood. All other modern conveniences may be found within the community, including banks, grocers, pharmacies, florists, gas stations, and much more. The Dutchtown South Community Corporation is a community asset actively involved with the neighborhood. It is responsible for several projects, some of which include new development, landlord/tenant seminars, housing, and other community services such as the administration of flu shots.

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Over the past several years, Dutchtown, as well as many other parts of St. Louis proper, has experienced a trend of young professionals and families moving into the area with a desire to rehab old homes and buildings for both commercial and residential use. The city offers several incentives to promote or facilitate such activity. In many cases, prospective purchasers have considered and furthermore implemented the conversion of multifamily units into single-family units.

This type of development is desirable, as it tends to increase the property value and increase the attractiveness of the area. Moreover, single family units increase the long-term stability of communities. Immigrants that settle within a particular area have been known to establish small businesses run by the family, many times renting the above apartment as a residence. Over time, many cases have shown that these families eventually purchase, or plan to purchase, the property or similar property. Furthermore, the Dutchtown neighborhood offers great potential to individuals interested in affordable costs in a increasingly progressive atmosphere.

Currently, there are several City-funded and promoted commercial plans. There are commercial development plans for South Grand, Meramec, and Virginia. There are also plans to encourage business owners to improve the appearance of building façades. The Dutchtown South Community Corporation, City Alderman, CDA, and Neighborhood Stabilization Team have been busy with several new development projects and individuals interested in moving into the area.

Recent trends show an increase in property value by 28.5 percent, according to the Dutchtown South Community Corporation. There are many factors that contribute: The area has good schools, a well-used bus system, and affordable housing. Many incentives are offered to those interested in purchasing residential and commercial space. The Dutchtown South Community Corporation is also working to develop employee-assisted housing with the new Alexian Brothers Facility. There has also been considerable effort between the police, Neighborhood Stabilization Team and community organizations to remove inadequate landlords and educate tenants on their rights as renters by providing landlord/tenant seminars.

As stated previously, two new elderly care facilities have been added: the new, not-yet-opened Alexian Brothers Community Care Center and the newly opened Dutchtown Care Center.

Other current development projects include the construction of two new homes by Pyramid Construction Company, which are for sale to income-eligible purchasers under the Home Flash Flood Program. These two homes are located at 2719 and 2727 Meramec. Furthermore, there is also a rehabilitation project on a four-family flat at 3005 07 Osage. It is being converted into two townhouses and is for sale using Home Funds/HAP (from the State).

Dutchtown, which comprises parts of both the 13th and 25th Wards, also has plans to reduce population density. In Ward 13, there is a focus on reducing the density in the block boarded by Virginia, Alabama, Liberty, and Delor. Several multifamily structures are targeted for demolition. It has not been determined whether this site will be developed into housing or left as green space.

In Ward 25, a plan is underway to reduce density in the St. Michael's Apartment complex on South Spring, north of Delor. At this point, there are several multifamily rental properties under different ownership. Many of these buildings are vacant and boarded, causing a serious blighting condition. It is the desire of the community residents to have the entire complex placed under one ownership. It is hoped that single ownership, reduction of density, the creation of green space, and the elimination of the blighted conditions will have major impact on the neighborhood.