Around the turn of the 20th century, St. Louis was on its way to become one of the biggest cities in America. It came in fourth in the 1904 census. However, like many city metro areas across the U.S., St. Louis found its core metro area leaking the bulk of the population to the city suburbs.
Much of the manufacturing industries became outsourced and the construction of interstate and airports kept passers through away from the core. Starting around the end of the 60s city planners were hatching new means to bring St. Louis' core back to its thriving older self.
The last decade has seen some of the most improvement in the downtown districts. Urban blight and vacant buildings have slowly been healed by grassroots groups such as the Mill Creek Urban Renewal project. One such project focuses in on Washington Avenue, a historical artery through downtown.
Washington Avenue Project
Washington Avenue is an area that, seeing it ten years ago, would seem as if it would never heal. It was a time where crime was so bad that many residents had to lock their doors during the day according to some residents. Now the district has cleaned up considerably, and made St. Louis apartments more attractive to move into.
A decade ago, driving through the avenue you would see empty shells of old 20s style industrial red brick buildings decaying. Urban blight, as it's called, was driving businesses out and crime and poverty up. Starting in 1999, city planners made the turn around and started the Downtown Development Action Plan. They envisioned St. Louis apartments in the Washington Avenue area as the new "loft" district. And instead of renovating the turn-of-the-century industrial structures, new downtown lofts were crafted from the existing buildings. Historic tax credits were used to help fund the project so 19th and early 20th century building facades stay intact.
Central West End: Cultural City Corridor Alive Again
Standing on the 26th floor of the Chase Park Plaza, you can look through any of the east facing windows to view a swath of urban cityscape punctuated on the horizon by the Arco de Saint Louis. The Chase Park Plaza had once been a posh hotel that saw such acts as Lucille ball and Frank Sinatra.
It fell into despair in the late 20th century. But due to new city bonding stimulus the Chase Park Plaza has become a symbol of Central West End apartment revival. Much of Central West End mirrored this Plaza economically through the ages.
In the 20s and 30s Central West End was mostly a collection of private estates and mansion-like homes. Central West End is just west of the main down-town district. It was an area of town that housed many of the rich and privileged town folk and big business owners at the time. Now it's transformed into an area where middle income earners can afford to live.
Large family homes have been converted into separate dwellings. There is a large demand for Central West End apartments due to draws such as quick access to the interstate, the commuter train station, Hospital and University all within its perimeter.
