Industrial Architecture in Central West End May See National Register of Historic Places Recognition
{The S. Pfieffer Manufacturing Company Headquarters Building}
The industrial architectural legacy of the eastern-most Central West End appears one step closer to being preserved and repurposed. The S. Pfieffer Manufacturing Company Headquarters Building at 3965 Laclede Avenue is being recommended to join the National Register of Historic Places, an important step to future reuse. Specifically, the city's Planning and Urban Design Agency is recommending that the Preservation Board should direct staff to prepare a report for the state Historic Preservation Office endorsing the nomination.
The 3900 block of Laclede Avenue is all that stands between the joining of a still revitalizing Central West End and the campus of St. Louis University. The block provides very little historic context. A sprawling post office, vacant lots, etc. line the long street. The Six North development sits at the west end and several remarkable buildings occupy lots nearest Vandeventer Avenue.
There are two threats to buildings such as the Pfieffer headquarters. First, the nearing-completion Central West End form-based planning code may not provide any protection for buildings east of Sarah Avenue. While I'm very much in favor of a new development code, it was suggested at a planning meeting that buildings such as those near and on Vandeventer (see photos below) would not be protected. In part, this is because they supposedly lack "context".
Second, for those who appreciate the commercial storefronts on Vandeventer and other historic buildings in the area, industrial architecture sometimes doesn't fit their ideal of historic preservation. For many reasons, preserving remaining context, celebrating heritage, reusing buildings, maintaining and creating visual interest...the Pfieffer building, and others in the area are important to preserve.
The future of the block between SLU and the CWE is still uncertain, but it should be apparent that enough available land exists to build substantial new infill and preserve existing buildings and the in the end create a unique and vibrant neighborhood. With luck this could also set a precedent for the preservation of select industrial buildings in the Cortex area and elsewhere in the city.
{historic buildings on the 3900 block of Laclede Avenue}
{historic storefronts on Vandeventer Avenue}
Gentrification: "... welcome by some and feared and loathed by others, and even dreaded and welcomed at the same time by the same people." Lance Freeman's pursuit of this duality makes the book strong-he's willing to admit that gentrification is both a pleasure and a problem, rather than setting up camp on one side.
Awesome. I alwyas figured this area would be clear-cut for offices or more storage places. It's just a first step, but hopefully good things follow.
Don't provide context? Hell, they provide their own context. The big structure at Vandeventer and FP originally had storefront windows (look for the cast iron columns at the corner elevations). That's one long block of relevent context. Just because SLU has demolished the rest of the "context" (interesting way to refer to a neighborhood), doesn't mean its viewpoint should prevail. Well, at least the attmept to protect what remains is proceeding. Feckin' podunk burgh...
This is great news. While I was a student at SLU I would occasionally walk from campus to the Post-Office on Laclede and seeing the state of this block was depressing. There is so much potential here and I hope that we're lucky enough to see that realized.
I think the issue may be that this block and others nearby aren't actually in the Central West End District, so the code wouldn't cover them. Instead, the buildings pictured above and many others nearby are already individually listed in the National Register and therefore do have some protection - although not from bad windows or inappropriate siding choices.
^ Excellent point. Listing on the National Register does not actually protect a building from demolition. It does make it more likely that a developer will be able to find financing or use tax credits to redevelop. The new CWE form-based code would still leave this area unprotected. The interesting thing here is the relative young age of this building - its listing would be a good sign for the neighborhood. Thanks for the post.
As a resident of the block, I can say that the biggest challenge our block faces is actually Adam Strauss, owner of Hi-Tech Security and son of the famed Leon Strauss. Of the 7 residential structures on the south side of the block, Strauss owns 4, and they are in bad shape. Two of the single family homes are falling into disrepair. They are vacant, boarded up, exposed to the elements, and the porch is falling down on one of them. The 2 family has been for rent for 2 years now. Despite its being in bad shape, Strauss is asking $1500/month for a trashy apartment. Rumor has it Strauss wanted to tear these houses down to put in an inground pool, but the city denied his request. It seems that now he is literally letting these buildings fall to the ground. If no intervention occurs, we will soon lose two turn-of-the-century homes to his negligence. I have written to Alderman Joe Roddy several times and complained on the CSB to no avail. I guess if your last name is Strauss, you are exempt from your civic duty. Please consider this comment an appeal to the residents of the CWE, historical preservationists, and urbanists throughout the city to pressure Strauss into cleaning up his act or selling these properties to someone who will.
Not to be a downer, but I've been told that those single-family homes are slated to be demolished. I'm not talking formally, but the tech incubator wants to expand. They even wanted the corner hardware store, but that's apparently going to stay. This is long term, but I think that CET's intentions are known.