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James Clemens House, main entryway. Library of Congress Historic American Buildings Survey, photographed by Paul Piaget, November 1960.
I'm a St. Louis transplant. And as any St. Louis transplant will tell you (well, most of 'em anyway), one of this city's strongest assets is its built environment. That's why we are so lucky to have such a great Landmarks Association that's filled, wall to wall, with preservation ninjas. Every year, they dedicate an entire week to St. Louis' historic built environment, with parties, walking tours and a roll call of newly preserved - and especially endangered - buildings. Preservation Week 2009 kicks off this Saturday, with a bus tour of this year's "Most Enhanced" award winners (including the Soulard Preservation Hall, the Marquette and the Ludwig Lofts) and the Old North St. Louis House & Community Tour (which, in full disclosure, I will be volunteering for, since I'm a resident and neighborhood board member.) Other events include a lecture on the neglected but beautiful James Clemens House (yes, he's related to that Clemens); a lecture and booksigning at the Chatillion-Demenil mansion for Houses of Missouri, 1870-1940; a screening of Hail! Hail! Rock 'N' Roll! at the Tivoli to celebrate the addition of Chuck Berry's former VIlle home to the National Register of Historic Places; a walking tour in the CWE to take in the architecture of Theodore Link (who designed Union Station); Rooms in Bloom at the Samuel Cupples House; a walking tour down Lindell to see some fine examples of St. Louis' endangered midcentry architecture; and of course, the "Most Enhanced" awards ceremony on May 15, which takes place at the Roberts Orpheum Theater. And Landmarks sponsors cool events all year long, from exhibits to bike tours dedicated to architectural sightseeing. They have a very neat (in both senses of the word) website, landmarks-stl.org, where you can get information on everything I've mentioned here. --Stefene Russell
