Historical April–May 2018 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
The completion of the new homes on the 5700 block of McPherson follows the redevelopment which started over 40 years ago in our neighborhood.
In 1978, the Post-Dispatch called it “Wiping Out the DMZ”.
In the early 80’s, east of DeBaliviere, what is now called “DeBaliviere Place” was the largest Historic Tax Credit redevelopment in the entire nation. Leon Strauss, whose other St. Louis landmark achievement was the Fox Theatre, John Roach, 28th Ward Alderman, together with neighborhood leaders like Jack Wright and Calvin Stuart, Executive Director of the Skinker DeBaliviere Community Council, worked many years to plan and eventually renovate historic multifamily buildings into nearly 2,000 condominiums and apartments.
This massive project was a turning point, east and west.
On the west side of DeBaliviere, 25 acres, including a former car lot and even a golf course, were leveled for new development.
During this tumultuous period of the 70’s, disagreement among current residents was strong and vocal. Disputes over the direction of redevelopment caused some rifts in the neighborhood organizations.
It was a time of controversy and the surveying of the neighborhood to establish it as an historic district, as well. Should the remaining historic buildings stay or go?
During this time, as Ken Cohen wrote in the TIMES in 1980. “Able Key and Hardware Store built, the Winter Garden Senior Building rehabbed…clearance of the old Chevrolet lot. Bi-State was ready to build its new garage.” Leon Strauss, who grew up in a U City apartment building himself, once said he did not remember anyone who lived in a house. “The only houses he knew when he was growing up were the white frame houses in the Andy Hardy movies at the Varsity Theater.” [Patricia Rice, St. Louis Globe-Democrat, 1976] Architect Eugene Mackey translated the Andy Hardy house into duplex townhouses on Kingsbury Avenue and Westminster Place west of DeBaliviere to Hamilton School.
A bandstand in the middle of the “square” reminds residents of this Strauss inspiration. Kingsbury Square was the result.
However, the 5700 block of McPherson was left out of the initial Kingsbury Square plan. Now, as Richard Bose’s article reports, it has finally been completed. Developer/ homebuilder Martin Jaffee has continued to build new homes in this area for over 30 years. (Those great new homes north of Delmar on Enright, etc. are also his work!).
When Kingsbury Square was complete, he turned his attention to 5700 McPherson.
This is indeed a milestone for the Skinker-DeBaliviere community!
Original photograph caption
Historic Globe-Democrat clipping: De Baliviere — A West End Renaissance In The Offing? Alan W. Akerson; pictures Dick Weddle.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, April–May 2018.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: Historical Globe-Democrat clipping by Alan W. Akerson, pictures Dick Weddle, map Frank Helms retained with printed credit and Mercantile Library provenance; reproduction rights not independently cleared.
Original source: SD_Times2018_04.pdf, printed page(s) 6; PDF page(s) 6.
