6 Years Later, Mullanphy Emigrant Home Still Stands

Six years ago today, on April 2, 2006, the story of the landmark Mullanphy Emigrant Home nearly came to an end.  After a devastating storm with tornadic winds hit the 1867 structure, causing the south wall to collapse, the city’s building division issued a demolition order.

With strong support from Old North residents and others from throughout St. Louis who cared about preserving our city’s architectural and cultural heritage, Old North St. Louis Restoration Group launched a campaign to get the City to rescind the order.  Based on a structural engineer’s report commissioned by ONSLRG which showed that the building was not in imminent danger of complete collapse, the City withdrew their order and gave ONSLRG time to find a way to stabilize and secure the building.

By November of  2006, ONSLRG ended up purchasing the historic building and began a fundraising effort to cover the anticipated $100-150,000 expense of rebuilding the south wall and stabilizing the building.  However, on March 31, 2007, these plans suffered a major setback, and the hopes of saving the Mullanphy building seemed to be dashed for good when another massive storm hit the structure, blowing through the opening at the south end, leading to more wall collapses along the east facing side and much of the north wall.

Although the Riverfront Times declared the preservation efforts to be “the Best Lost Cause” in their 2007 “Best of St. Louis” issue, ONSLRG was able to mobilize enough support from the community to raise nearly $80,000 in contributions and loans from approximately 200 individuals and organizations, such as Landmarks Association of St. Louis, Society of Architectural Historians, the St. Louis AIA chapter, and many others.*  Schlafly Bottleworks donated beer and space for an emergency fundraiser; former Aldermanic Board President Jim Shrewsbury sent out an appeal to all of his past contributors; and Missouri Preservation added the Mullanphy Building to their list of most endangered historic sites in the State of Missouri.   With contributions of labor, equipment, and supplies, contractors affiliated with the Masonry Contractors Association and construction oversight from E. M. Harris Construction Co., work on rebuilding the foundation at the south side of the building and completely rebuilding the south wall, large portions of the adjoining east wall, and the north end continued throughout 2007 and reached completion in 2008.

Today the Mullanphy Emigrant Home building stands as a reminder of how our city grew rapidly in the latter part of the 1800s by putting out the welcome mat for newcomers arriving at our city from all over the world and as a testament to the power of a determined community undeterred by seemingly insurmountable challenges.

Thank you again to all who contributed to this great cause and assisted ONSLRG with the stabilization and preservation efforts.  Although the economy has not helped with a full redevelopment of the building, the Mullanphy Emigrant Home has been preserved and secured and is ready for a new chapter.  If you’d like to discuss ideas for a redevelopment and return of the building to productive use, please contact the ONSLRG office at 314-241-5031.  And if you’d like to assist ONSLRG with our ongoing holding and maintenance costs, give us a call or make an online contribution by clicking HERE (and scroll down to the “Make a Donation to ONSLRG” section) - and be sure to enter “Mullanphy” in the special instructions area.

*It’s also worth noting, which we neglected to do in the original version of this post, that the ONSLRG Board of Directors (led at the time by John Burse) deserves credit for agreeing to let the organization’s staff spend so much time on this effort and for committing over $75,000 of the organization’s scarce funds to the stabilization, securing, insuring, paying taxes on, and other ongoing maintenance of the building.

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Comeback Cards and Old North Have a Lot in Common

Wow!  Unbelievable!

Those one word exclamations have been flying all over the blogosphere, facebook postings, tweets, and even on the pages of good, old-fashioned print publications. Yes, that represents a good summary of the Cardinals phenomenal resilience and determination to avoid elimination in the roller coaster ride of Game 6 – and throughout the latter part of the 2011 season and each round of the playoffs.  But those words also have been used recently to describe the incredible, skeptic-defying rebirth of Old North St. Louis, or as some have called it, “the little neighborhood that could.”

As dramatic and thrilling as Game 6 was, there still is some work to be done.  The Cardinals fought against setbacks and long odds to turn things around, but the World Championship trophy has yet to be won.  And Old North isn’t quite there yet, either.  Many outsiders doubted that Old North’s transformation was possible - and many others counted the neighborhood out long ago.  But over the past few years, we’ve turned a lot of skeptics into believers.  Whether it’s the stabilization and preservation of the severely damaged Mullanphy Emigrant Home building; the phenomenal redevelopment of historic buildings that had been crumbling into the street along Monroe, North Market, Hebert, Blair, or N. 14th Street; the establishment of a community-owned grocery store; or the extraordinary 28% increase in population over the past decade, the evidence is there to demonstrate Old North’s capacity to overcome long odds and achieve results that previously had been deemed absurd or impossible.

Despite the great progress achieved in recent years, Old North St. Louis Restoration Group still has a lot of challenges to tackle.  In fact, because the bar of what is possible has been raised, we’re busier than ever with a range of initiatives focused on revitalizing Old North, from operating the Old North Grocery Co-op to assisting others in finding apartments to live in, properties to rehab, or homes to purchase in Old North.

Ironically, just as we have more and more evidence of the amazing returns on previous investments, the funding to carry out this work has been getting harder to secure.  Due to economic hardships among some of our regular funders (including both individual and corporate contributors), reductions in funding from some previously committed sources (such as a 14.5% cut in our grant from the Community Development Administration as a result of federal block grant cuts), and the lag time between approval of some grants and delivery of funds (including a $25,000 grant which has been approved but won’t arrive until December at the earliest), ONSLRG’s operating funds are incredibly tight at the moment.

As the Cardinals have demonstrated, success requires team effort - and sometimes it means getting help from unlikely sources.  If you’d like to help Old North St. Louis Restoration Group continue Old North’s dramatic comeback story, we have a few ways for you to pitch in:

1) Make a tax-deductible contribution to ONSLRG right now by clicking HERE.

2) Refer us to any contacts you might have with any corporate charitable funds or foundations with an interest in community development, historic preservation, healthy food access, community gardens, social outreach, and almost anything else related to neighborhood sustainability.

3) Spread the word about Old North’s revitalization to people who haven’t heard about it yet, by sending a link to this blog, our ONSL.org website, ONSLRG’s facebook page, our Twitter account - or by bringing them into Old North for lunch at one of our fine eating establishments or to shop at the Old North Grocery Co-op, or to purchase something at one of Crown Square’s retailers, such as Therapy Boutique, Closet Repeats, or Rambles Gift Gallery & Boutique.

4) Volunteer to assist with our fundraising committee or to help plan a future fundraising event.

or…

5 Fill in the blank with your own ideas _____________________________.

For more information about any of the above options, feel free to give us a call at 314-241-5031 or send a message to info@onsl.org.

In the meantime, on behalf of St. Louis City’s comeback neighborhood, we tip our caps to baseball’s comeback team of the year.  GO CARDS!

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Trivia Night Benefit for Mullanphy Hostel Plans - Jan. 15

This past year has been incredibly busy on many fronts, but that doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten about the preservation of the Mullanphy Emigrant Home - or plans for its eventual full development.  Moving beyond that initial stabilization and buttoning up stage takes a bit of planning and feasibility assessments - and all of that costs money too.  So, to help us with that next step, you can support this great cause and the plan to establish and develop a world-class hostel at the Mullanphy Emigrant Home by coming out to the “sort of annual” Friends of Hostelling trivia night on Friday, January 15, 2010.

To register in advance, follow the instructions at www.moonlightramble.org.  Feel free to print and distribute the following flyer for the event to all of your trivia-minded friends and/or everyone you know who cares about preserving our irreplaceable historic, cultural, and architectural landmarks.

a table of Mullanphy supporters at last year's trivia night

With just a few days left in 2009, you can still make a tax-deductible contribution to Old North St. Louis Restoration Group to support the preservation of Mullanphy or any of our other work to revitalize the physical and social dimensions of Old North St. Louis in a manner that respects the community’s historic, cultural and urban character.  To make an online donation, just CLICK HERE. 

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Proposed NorthSide Development to be Discussed at Community Meeting Tonight

Alderwoman April Ford Griffin and McEagle Properties will be discussing the proposed NorthSide development plan at a meeting for residents of Old North this evening at Ames Visual and Performing Arts magnet school, 2900 Hadley.  We’ve been told that Paul McKee, CEO of McEagle Properties, will be in attendance to answer questions about how the development would affect Old North St. Louis.   The meeting is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.  See below for the flyer / invitation to the meeting from 5th Ward Alderwoman April Ford Griffin (who represents Old North and most of the proposed development area to the west) and Alderwoman Marlene Davis, who represents a portion of the western end of the proposed development area.

Although most of the area for the proposed project would be west of North Florissant (ONSL’s western border), the boundaries of the NorthSide project include the southern end of Old North St. Louis, between Cass and Chambers.  Companies affiliated with McEagle Properties also own buildings and vacant lots in sections of Old North not included in the development area.

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Moonlight Ramble Shines Spotlight on Mullanphy Emigrant Home

The Mullanphy Emigrant Home building in Old North St. Louis got some good air time this morning on KSDK.

NewsChannel 5’s “Today in St. Louis” aired a story this morning on Hostelling International’s annual Moonlight Ramble bike ride (scheduled for tomorrow night), and used the occasion to put in a few plugs for the Mullanphy Emigrant Home.   You can view the whole story online, by clicking on this link.  Mark Cockson, executive director of Hostelling International-Gateway Council, told reporter Heidi Glaus that proceeds from this year’s Moonlight Ramble would help pay for a feasibility study on the development of world class hostel at the Mullanphy building.  To register online or to find out more about the ride, which typically draws more than 10,000 riders for the middle of the night event, visit the Moonlight Ramble website.

Channel 5 reporter Heid Glaus interviewing Mark Cockson inside the Mullanphy building.

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Scenes from Trivia Night

Last Friday’s trivia night fundraiser to support the preservation of the Mullanphy Emigrant Home and eventual development of a world-class hostel at Mullanphy was a great success with 34 tables participating.   The following are just a few shots from the crowd of supporters, including many Old North residents and friends of Mullanphy, who came out to enjoy an evening of fun in support of a worthy cause.

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Reminder: Trivia Night This Friday

As noted on this blog way back on December 9, ONSLRG is co-hosting a trivia night this coming Friday (Jan. 16) with Hostelling International-Gateway Council. The event will raise funds for both organizations’ efforts to preserve the Mullanphy Emigrant Home and develop the historic building into a world class hostel. Tickets still can be purchased online at www.moonlightramble.com or by phone at 314-644-4660.

Trivia Night Details:

Where: Maryland Heights Community Center, 2344 McKelvey Road, Maryland Heights, MO 63043

Click here for a Google map of the location: Maryland Heights Community Center

When: Friday, January 16th

Doors open at 6:30, questions start at 7:00

Cost: $120 for a table of 8, or $15 per person.

Cost includes complimentary beer (Fat Tire), soda, and snacks, but you are welcome to bring your own food and beverages.

Cash prizes for the top three teams, as well as door prizes, and a 50/50 raffle.

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Jan. 16 Trivia Night to Benefit New World-Class Hostel in ONSL

It seems like 2009 is a long way away, but January is right around the corner! Mark your calendars now for a great night of good fun in support of a worthy cause. On Friday, January 16, Hostelling International-Gateway Council and Old North St. Louis Restoration Group will be co-sponsoring a trivia night to benefit the development of a world-class hostel in Old North St. Louis. For more information and to purchase tickets online, click on over to the Hostelling International – Gateway Council’s website.

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Finish Line in Sight for Mullanphy Stabilization!

First, a reminder about the meeting Tuesday evening regarding the progress at Crown Square and information about job training and readiness assistance for job-seekers and prospective employers. Take a look at our blog post from this past Friday for more details.

Now, for an update on the progress at Mullanphy: Thanks to another infusion of funds from Old North St. Louis Restoration Group’s general revenue, our construction crews from E.M. Harris are almost finished with sealing up all openings at the Mullanphy Emigrant Home building — for the first time in nearly two-and-a-half years!

Above: the windows along the block wall at the south end have been boarded to keep the elements out; face brick will be added later as funding allows. Above: the opening at the north end of the building that was created by the second storm to hit the building is just about closed up now.

We still have a way to go with the full stabilization, but getting the building buttoned up before the onset of winter weather is a huge achievement - and made possible by the generosity of many. You can help us cover these costs, pay off some loans, and keep us moving toward full stabilization by making a financial contribution to Mullanphy Emigrant Home LLC (click on the “Make a Donation” button along the right side of this site).

You can also help support the cause & spread the word at the same time by purchasing your own “Save Mullanphy” t-shirt for just $15. To find out how you can get one of these shirts for yourself, your family, friends, or colleagues, stop by the ONSLRG office or give us a call at 314-241-5031.

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ONSL’s Show of Support for Mullanphy at Moonlight Ramble

A good crowd of Old North St. Louis residents and friends came out in the wee hours of the morning to participate in this year’s Moonlight Ramble in support of the Mullanphy Emigrant Home preservation efforts. With a booth downtown at the Ramble’s registration area, volunteers staffing several intersections as crossing guards, and a large cheering section in front of the Mullanphy building, ONSL was out in force as the thousands of Moonlight Ramble cyclists rode along the 17-mile route from Downtown, past the Mullanphy building, and through the streets of the city. Above: Leon Ochoa, Zoila Rendon, and Tino Ochoa helped watch the ONSLRG booth at the Moonlight Ramble registration area in front of Soldiers’ Memorial downtown.
Above: wearing matching “Save Mullanphy” t-shirts, Tino, Zoila, Johnnie Owens, and Dave Eisenbraun were ready to answer questions about the Mullanphy building.
Above: the crowd of cheering supporters, a spotlight on the front of the building, and the slide show projected onto the new side wall, ensured that the thousands of bike riders passing by would take note of the Mullanphy building.

Above: Tom & Gloria Bratkowski and Johnnie Owens prepare for the wave after wave of cyclists.
Above: new banners have been placed on the chain link fence along south side of the building to highlight the prospect of a new future of the Mullanphy building as a world-class hostel while the slide show paid tribute to the many generous contributors who have made the stabilization work possible.

Above: Kathryn Bentley provided her daughter, Essence, and cousin, Cameron, with a great excuse for staying up late. As head cheerleader, Essence made sure that everybody knew they were passing through Old North St. Louis and past the Mullanphy building.
Above: although 12:30 a.m. may not be the ideal time for taking outdoor photos, the above shot provides a glimpse of the throngs of cyclists riding along Mullanphy Street from 13th to 14th Streets, with downtown in the background.

Above: Mark Cockson (in the orange shirt), executive director of Hostelling International-Gateway Council, paid a visit on his bike to thank our volunteers and supporters for being a part of this year’s Moonlight Ramble.

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