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Photograph courtesy of Megan Betts
St. Louis Place residents.
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The rest of the region may have moved on since the announcement the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency had chosen the St. Louis Place site in early April. But for the people living there, the commissioners who will put a price on their homes, and others, daily life still very much revolves around the implementation of lofty federal government mandates.
Sheila and Gustavo Rendon’s house was on the docket in the late afternoon of Tuesday April 12. Judging from the lack of reporters with the exception of NPR’s Maria Altman, it seems as if the local news media could not care less if the residents of St. Louis Place are treated fairly, any more than the overall dismissive general public. But now more than ever, eyes on the proceedings are necessary to ensure that the homeowners are treated fairly by the government.
The hearing was in the Fire Department Headquarters, which at first glance might seem strange, but it does possess a conference room that can accommodate a medium-sized crowd. There is some irony, of course, since the building was originally constructed to serve the medical needs of the last failed big government project meant to provide salvation to the Near North Side, the old Pruitt-Igoe Housing Complex. The Jefferson Cass Health Center, designed by Modernist architect Marcel Boulicault, signaled a time of great optimism, back when architects thought they could change the world for the better. There is certainly optimism again in some circles, while severe pessimism pervades nearby.
The hearing started, and the Rendons stated their expected financial compensation. The eminent domain commissioners were polite, listened carefully, and asking questions. Perhaps the most interesting moment in the half-hour hearing was this statement by one of the commissioners in response to Sheila’s argument that Paul McKee’s actions had adversely affected her property values:
“Your position, is that this is relevant to fair market value and that Mr. McKee and his failure to develop has sabotaged your value [of your home], and that certainly is relevant and that is something we’re allowed to consider.”
In solidarity with the residents threatened by eminent domain and seeking to further demonstrate the rich history of the St. Louis Place neighborhood, artist Tori Abernathy and local architectural historian and preservationist Michael Allen will be hosting an event, “Put a Fork in the NGA” on Friday, April 22 at 5:30 at the corner of Mullanphy and 23rd Streets. Of course, Friday is also Earth Day, with the added connotation of the protection of the environment. Allen has long been an opponent of the NGA moving to the St. Louis Place site, and his opposition has not wavered even in the face of many preservationists reluctantly (and sometimes enthusiastically) supporting the North St. Louis location. Abernathy, having just completed a residency at The Luminary on Cherokee Street, chose to stay in St. Louis, drawn to the story of residents losing their homes to eminent domain.
I spoke with Abernathy and Allen recently at La Mancha Coffeehouse in Old North. The business just celebrated its fifth anniversary, and Old North in general has never been looking better. In fact, it is perfectly possible that St. Louis Place could be experiencing a similar revival if it had not constantly been the subject of wild-eyed, top-down government redevelopment plans for the last 50 years. For Allen and Abernathy, the real solution for fixing St. Louis Place is not a huge “silver bullet” project, the majority of which have failed in this city, but rather organic, community-driven development, one house and business at a time.
As such, what more appropriate metaphor for “Put a Fork in the NGA,” but a community event that brings together a “salad” of different foods and people from around the neighborhood and the region at large. Allen mentioned several times his dismay at the mainstream media’s images of St. Louis Place frequently only containing high elevation aerial shots, dehumanizing the people who live there. Consequently, the event will seek to humanize the history and people of the neighborhood that is about to be obliterated. Come out, participate, eat salad and learn about what St. Louis is giving up, far too easily.
Chris Naffziger writes about architecture at St. Louis Patina. Contact him via email at naffziger@gmail.com.
