Historical November–December 2002 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
It is our hope at The Times to have this as a regular feature.
We will highlight successful projects, some dos and don’ts, buildings lost to demolition or downright awful renovations, and possibly a question and answer format.
As most readers know, the area roughly bound by DeBaliviere, Delmar, the City Limits in Parkview, and Lindell makes up the St. Louis Historic District known as the Skinker-DeBaliviere/Catlin Tract/ Parkview Historic District.
There are guidelines, which regulate changes to the exteriors of the buildings, demolitions, and new construction.
We hope you will look for this feature regularly. Pictured above are two views of 6012 Washington Avenue.
The one on the left was taken in the early 1980s; the one on the right was taken this summer.
The house was built in 1908, one of two small single-family houses built on that block that year. Research shows that at one time there may have been a porch, which extended across the front but it was removed a long time ago. Through the years, incorrectly sized storm windows were installed, the original front door was removed, the opening enlarged and replaced with a non-historic door, an inappropriate aluminum porch was added, and the half-timbered gables were covered with siding.
When A & A Construction began the renovation, the first thing removed was the porch.
The front door was correctly resized and replaced with art glass.
The very unusual multi-paned, casement windows were discovered under the storms. Because the developing company was using Missouri Tax Credits for Historic Preservation, the windows were restored to their original appearance. Neighbors remembered what the gables original had been, and they too were restored.
While small, 6012 Washington is a delightful house and is a positive example of what an historically sensitive renovation can do for an individual building, a block, and a neighborhood.
Original photograph caption
6012 Washington Avenue, early 1980s, before sensitive restoration. Source credits Katie Kurtz and Paul Hohman; individual image allocation unspecified.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, November–December 2002.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2002_11.pdf, printed page(s) 4; PDF page(s) 4.
