GRAVOIS PARK (19)
Click [ HERE ] for the PDF version.

LOCATION
Defined by Cherokee on the North, Chippewa on the South, Jefferson on the East, and Grand Boulevard on the West, the Gravois Park Neighborhood sets in southeast St. Louis surrounded by the neighborhoods of Marine Villa, Dutchtown, Tower Grove South, and Benton Park West.

HISTORY
Gravois Park was originally settled by German and Eastern European immigrants. Today a large number of second- and third-generation residents continues to reside in their family homes, reflecting the quality of life of the neighborhood and a commitment among its residents to maintain community standards.

Reflecting its settlement at the turn of the twentieth century, the neighborhood's architectural mix includes the Froebel Elementary School, founded in 1895. The Concordia Lutheran College and Seminary was dedicated in 1850 and originally occupied a building on the west side of Jefferson Avenue at Winnebago Street before it was demolished and replaced by a large Gothic structure. In 1926, the college moved to its present location on DeMun Avenue in Clayton. The majority of the neighborhood was constructed in the early to mid-1900s.

CHARACTERISTICS
The Gravois Park neighborhood is primarily residential, with commercial strips down Cherokee and neighboring Chippewa, Meramec and Gravois. The housing stock consists of two- and four-family flats, a few single-family homes, and a scattering of multiunit complexes. Extensively remodeled in time for the 1997-98 school year, Froebel joins with Fanning Elementary School, Roosevelt High School, St. Elizabeth's High School, and Lutheran Medical Nursing School to give the neighborhood a decidedly educational environment. Recent influxes of Middle Eastern and Bosnian immigrants have brought a diversity to the area. Consequently, there are some issues relating to cultural and communication barriers between the various communities represented. Dickman Park, as well as a number of churches-including St. Matthew UCC, Southside Baptist Church and Holy Cross Lutheran-are also located in the neighborhood. Gravois Park today contains a very diverse mixture of Vietnamese, Eritrean, Sudanese, Nigerian, Hispanic, and Eastern European families.

Located on Cherokee Street east of Jefferson is Antique Row, which has over 50 antique shops. West of Cherokee is the area's main business district, where one can find a collection of shops, boutiques, discount stores, and restaurants in turn-of-the-century buildings. Cherokee offers German, Asian, American, and Mexican cuisine. The mainstay includes a jewelry store, an old time shop, a ballroom, drug stores, and a variety of clothing shops.

INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS
A new neighborhood association, the Gravois Park Block Link Association, seeks to bring together the neighborhood's block captains to deal with such issues as trash, prostitution, drugs, and stolen cars. A greater police presence would be a welcome improvement to the current situation. Both Concordia Publishing and the Lutheran Hospital offer financial incentives to their employees to move into the neighborhood.

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
There currently is no housing corporation in the neighborhood, so there exists an opportunity for one to work there. Pyramid is planning a 30-unit market-rate housing development along the 3600 and 3700 blocks of Grand and Tennessee. An insufficient supply of single-family homes limits the ability of the neighborhood to attract stable families. There is no recreational facility inside the neighborhood, so youth must make use of the Cherokee Center at Benton Park.

The future site of two new homes that will be built by the Dutchtown South Community Corporation is 3724-28 Ohio. The new units have two stories, with three bedrooms and a bath and a half. CDBG Funds will be used. These homes will not be income-restricted. Chippewa Stabilization Project is in its third year of operation and about 80 percent of the buildings along Chippewa have been assisted with exterior repairs. Targeted Assisted Program has been instrumental in assisting existing homeowners maintain and improve their homes.