Historical February–March 2003 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
After 12 years of representing the 26th ward in the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, Irving Clay Sr. is retiring from his second career in public service. Clay had earlier served as a parks and recreation official in St. Louis and in Virginia and had been an assistant to Mayor Schoemehl. Clay, much to everyone’s surprise is 78 years old.
The 26th and 28th wards have shared the greater Skinker DeBaliviere neighborhood for several decades. Clay has worked very closely with former Ald. Dan McGuuire and Ald. Lyda Krewson on the plans to redevelop Delmar. Clay was a co-sponsor of the Delmar Redevelopment Plan and worked very hard for its passage.
He has also played a key role in the street modifications.
His section of Delmar already has a planted median. Without his active assistance, the many changes to the Delmar streetscape would not have been possible.Ald. Clay also worked very hard to see the People’s Clinic in its new home in 5700 Delmar.
He has been working with the City Planning Division to market the 5700, 5800, and 5900 blocks of Delmar.
However, if there were one accomplishment that he would want to be remembered by, it would be the new housing he has brought to the West End neighborhood.
If you drive north on Hamilton or on Belt, you will see modern 3-bedroom homes with garages gracing some of the streets.
These homes have been selling for over $150,000 and have brought many new families to our area.
The senior citizen facility named for his brother, former Congressman William L. Clay, is also a source of considerable pride.
Some apartment buildings are being rehabbed as well. Clay has also worked on a plan to place townhomes on empty patches of Delmar east of Union. Builder and neighbor Gary Bierman is slated to develop those. Martin Jaffe, who has also built most of the Kingsbury Square homes,is the builder of some of the homes north of Delmar. Clay has also succeeded in attracting other developers to the area, including the Bank of America Community Development Corporation, which is the developer of homes on Enright just east of Hamilton.
On a personal note, I always enjoyed working with Ald. Clay and hope to continue seeing him around the neighborhood.
Original photograph caption
Alderman Irving Clay. Photographer not credited.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, February–March 2003.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2003_02.pdf, printed page(s) 3; PDF page(s) 3.
