February 9, 2003
House of the Month
South Kingshighway Homes

By Jo Ann Vatcha
Community Development Administration

For those who love outdoor activity in a grand and elegant park setting, today's featured homes in the Southwest Garden Neighborhood offer a great home buying opportunity. Two townhomes have been creatively redesigned, and the developer has also saved and refurbished a classic South St. Louis bungalow nearby. The homes are located across from Tower Grove Park, St. Louis' own 289 acre National Historic Landmark Park, donated in 1868 to the citizens of St. Louis by Henry Shaw, along with his estate, now the Missouri Botanical Garden. Almost every afternoon, you'll see games of softball, soccer, and tennis, and walkers and cyclists amid the Victorian pavilians, sculptures and magnificent trees throughout the park.

The townhomes at 2629-31 So. Kingshighway were carved from a former apartment building. Listed at $145,000, each home has a spacious eat-in kitchen, formal dining room, and half-bath, in addition to the living room, where natural finish woodwork enhances the bright and sunny living space. Refinished hardwood floors throughout the first floor make it seem even larger, and with over 1,8900 sq. ft., there's a lot of space. The master bath has a separate shower and soaking tub with ceramic tile surround, as well as a second full bath and spacious bedroom with extra closet space.

Homebuyers will appreciate the large decks and the brand-new fenced yards and parking areas. A new yard will be in by springtime, ready for flower gardens and those individual touches. Custom-milled natural finish woodwork, handsome light fixtures, and other special features show the attention of the developer, Southwest Neighborhood Housing Corporation, and their partner and general contractor Louis Bourgeois. Working with CDA and Alderman Steve Conway for a decade, the housing corporation has produced 17 units of quality for-sale and rental housing for their neighborhood, including projects in cooperation with the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Nearby 2509 So. Kingshighway is a real showplace, with stained glass windows, restored tile porch roof, refinished hardwood flooring on the first floor, and many other amenities. The master suite has a cleverly planned sitting room or office, extra closets and a great master bathroom, with separate shower and spa tub. The second bedroom has its own full bath with restored original Vitrolite glass panels on walls and ceiling, a feature also found in the ceiing of the large kitchen/family room area of the house. Recently featured in "This Old House" Magazine, the Vitrolite tile is just one of the unique features of this single-family home. A rear deck and shady back yard leading to the spacious garage add convenience and a relaxing feel. Colorful light fixtures have been individually selected for this lovely home, listed at $173,900.

All three homes have full basements, alarm systems, and many other extras. Information about Southwest Garden Neighborhood Improvement Association's annual house tour on Sunday, June 8, and other activities of both neighborhood organization and housing corporation, will be available at the open house.

The homes are listed by agent Linda Williams of Mary King and Associates, Inc., telephone 776-6279. To reach these homes from Highway 40/64 or I-44, go south on Kingshighway, turn right for convenient street parking on Botanical or Columbia, then just follow the arrows for the open houses. For more information about Southwest Garden and other City neighborhoods, the City of St. Louis' website can be reached at http://stlouis.missouri.org/development/residential.