5594 Bartmer

There is a Preservation Board meeting tonight with some important buildings on the agenda. I sent a letter and you should too.

Douglas Duckworth
5818 Mardel Ave
St. Louis, MO 63109
314-566-3465


Preservation Board,

I urge the Preservation Board to concur with staff recommendation and deny the demolition of 5594 Bartmer Avenue. The Queen Anne Shingle Style is very rare in St. Louis City due to fire ordinances. As noted in the Preservation Plan for St. Louis, the majority of these homes were constructed with brick. As such the Single Style home at 5594 Bartmer is a rarity that definitely reaches the threshold for the “Merit” qualification. As noted in Ordinance 64689, such structures shall not be demolished unless there are “unusual circumstances.” Such do not exist.

Another notable Shingle Style home in the same neighborhood is 6015 West Cabanne Place in the West Cabanne Historic District. This home was designed by Charles K. Ramsey, who supervised the construction of the Wainwright Building, and is specifically mentioned in the National Register Nomination Application for the West Cabanne Historic District. Out of all the wonderful buildings on Cabanne this specific one is mentioned. The building's rare style explains why it is mentioned.

Understandably derelict structures are a public nuisance which threaten property values and undermine public safety. Residents should be angry when they are vacant while the City should be concerned as they are a fiscal and legal liability. Yet St. Louis City's architecturally unique built environment should not be erased because of the Land Reutilization Authority's inability to effectively market their holdings to private developers, or the Board of Aldermen's inability to police the agency. The solution to the problem of derelict buildings is not unwarranted demolition, but to address the LRA's incompetence through legislation. Decades of mismanagement equates to dereliction of duty. Such action exemplifies the culture of failure that exists within the organization. As such reform should occur not the hedonistic demolition of community assets.

The City of St. Louis should not haphazardly demolish historic structures especially when the given area could potentially be eligible for nomination as an historic district. Such structures are community assets as they are regionally unique, thus serve as a draw to that community. In economics when a given good is rare it is valued more than something that is common. Ceteris Paribus, there is a greater demand for something which is rare. As such our historic buildings are vehicles for reinvestment evident in the rehab boom underway throughout the City. With leadership this pattern can occur with greater frequency and scope in all neighborhoods. Moreover, unique buildings also serve as anchors that promote solidarity and a sense of pride throughout the community. Such sense of place cannot be created in areas like New Town. Authenticity gives St. Louis an advantage.

The West End Neighborhood is undergoing reinvestment in the form of new construction, which is partly due to the efforts of former alderman Irving Clay Jr. and current alderman Frank Williamson. Both should be commended for their efforts, however Cultural Resources notes that more can and should be done in the West End Neighborhood. A preservation plan should be established. It is important that the architecturally unique assets of St. Louis City be protected for the community and future generations. Such buildings are economic and cultural assets which define our City. Demolition of viable historic structures erodes our sense of place and potential.

Best,
Douglas Duckworth