Habitat for Humanity Starts New Project in Old North

On Friday morning Habitat for Humanity held its “First Nail” Celebration as the ceremonial start for their new project which will bring 17 new environmentally-friendly, owner-occupied homes to Old North St. Louis over the next 6 months or so.   The event included greetings from local, state, and federal officials, as well as a welcome to the neighborhood by ONSLRG Board President Tino Ochoa. 

ONSLRG board members (from left to right) Gloria Bratkowski, Johnnie Owens, and Tino Ochoa endured the slight drizzle berfore the program.

Habitat for Humanity-St. Louis executive director Kimberly McKinney, expressed her excitement about the start of construction in Old North and the recent award from the Home Depot Foundation for HfH-STL's sustainable design features.

Tino Ochoa emphasized how the Habitat home-owners will be joining a neighborhood that already is enjoying a good deal of positive development with Crown Square, the upcoming grocery co-op, and much, much more.

Dignitaries and future homeowners (including a few current Old North residents) hammer the first nails into the framing that will go up at one of the first houses on the 1900 block of Hebert.

And in a symbolic gesture of the teamwork and support this project requires, the group collectively raises the first wall.

To learn more about this project, to volunteer, and/or to get on Habitat’s list of prospective homeowners, call 314-371-0400.

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A Neighborhood that Cares about Affordable Housing & Design

Old North St. Louis Restoration Group has always maintained a commitment to the ideal that current and prospective residents, from across the economic spectrum, should be able to find high quality housing opportunities appropriate and affordable for their individual circumstances.  With that said, we were excited to learn that Habitat for Humanity was interested in adding some of their homes to our efforts to ensure that the market in ONSL includes high quality, affordable ownership opportunities.  Last week ONSLRG hosted a community meeting to allow neighborhood residents to hear from Habitat for Humanity staff about their plans to build 17 new, energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly homes in Old North this year.

The large turnout and lively discussion demonstrated that Old North residents are passionate about design related issues.  A lot of conversation focused on whether the contemporary design of the new homes would blend well with the historic character of the neighborhood.  Most historic neighborhoods that have been around for nearly a couple hundred years, however, include a range of housing styles that reflect the diversity of the population and the evolving tastes and construction methods.  While Old North is well known for its red brick, Victorian-era townhouses, the neighborhood is also home to buildings with facades of other materials and colors, as well as variation in size and setback.

It’s worth noting that Habitat’s staff and architects took the time to come up with designs that represent a significant departure from previous homes they’ve built in St. Louis - and with features that reflect characteristics of other homes in Old North, including the neighborhood’s sampling of flounder houses and one-story homes, especially in the northwest part of the neighborhood.

The rendering above shows one of the two-story flounder-style models adjacent to one of the one-story models.

The plan at the moment is for some of the preliminary development work to get started as early as the next month with volunteer crews to be on site for build days in two different waves, one from April through June, and the second from July through September.  The homes are to be built on the 1900 blocks of Hebert and Sullivan, and the 1400 block of Dodier (between Blair and 19th), as shown below.  As the site plan indicates, Habitat’s plan has attracted the interest of EcoUrban, another private developer with a track record for high quality, award-winning green buildings.

For information about how to get on the list for homeownership or to volunteer to help build these homes, contact Habitat for Humanity at 314-371-0400.  To offer your thoughts about how this development fits into the overall redevelopment of Old North St. Louis or for other general neighborhood questions, contact ONSLRG at 314-241-5031 or by email at info@onsl.org.

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Other upcoming events: Meetings with MODOT (Jan. 21) and Habitat for Humanity (Jan. 26)

Now that you’ve got a new calendar for the new year, you can start filling it up with events in Old North, including the following:

Next Thursday, January 21, ONSLRG will host a community meeting with representatives from the Missouri Dept. of Transportation, who will be on-hand to explain plans for the replacement of the Madison Street overpass.  This meeting will start at 7 p.m. and take place in ONSLRG’s Crown Village Gallery, 2700 N. 14th Street.

Then, on Tuesday, January 26, ONSLRG will host a community meeting with Habitat for Humanity.  Staff from Habitat will be present to discuss the plans for the 17 new, homes they’ll be building this year on Dodier, Sullivan, and Hebert.  This meeting also will begin at 7 p.m. in the ONSLRG gallery. 

Feel free to make copies of this flyer for your friends and neighbors and help spread the word.

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Much to be Thankful for in Old North St. Louis

Despite the difficult economic times, Old North St. Louis has had a lot to be thankful for this year.  In the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, we’d like to put the spotlight on just a dozen improvements, achievements or positive developments in Old North during 2009.  By limiting this list to just 12, that means several other worthy events, occasions, or successes won’t be covered here.  So, stay tuned, we’ll try to get around to acknowledging those in later posts.  As it is, the following list includes many items that deserve much more space than a brief mention and a photo or two, but we’ll have to settle for that for now. 

1) Jackson Park Improvements

Part of the improvements at Jackson Park included new playground equipment.

2) Support for the Old North Grocery Co-op - Thanks to a very generous 3-year grant approved by the Missouri Foundation for Health, we now will be able to launch the Old North Grocery Co-op at 2718 N. 13th Street.  More funds still need to be raised, but the support of MFH ensure that we can get up and running in 2010.

Something like this will be coming soon to ONSL: interior of a grocery co-op...in a neighboprhood called Old North Knoxville.

Planning for the grocery co-op has benefited from help provided by UMSL’s Community Partnership Project and a diverse group of people serving on our co-op planning committee.  The whole effort has grown out of our successes with other food-related efforts, which is why that deserves mention here…

3) Continuation & Expansion of a Variety of Other Healthy Food Initiatives - this year we hosted the 3rd season of the North City Farmers’ Market (thanks again to the ongoing support of the Missouri Foundation for Health!); we enjoyed a bountiful crop of produce grown in the the 13th Street Community Garden; and we started a new Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) arrangement with Family Harvest (with weekly deliveries by farmer Rusty Lee).

A healthy dialogue about plants in the 13th Street Garden

4) Opening of 2700 N. 14th Street as the new office for Old North St. Louis Restoration Group, the “Yet-to-be Named” Gallery, and space for neighborhood information and expanded support for neighborhood improvement initiatives.  We’ve posted some views of the exterior of the building and the gallery space in an earlier post, so now we’ll show off some other views of the interior space. 

5) Crown Square Apartments - NOW LEASING!…Yes, now that water and sewer connections have been completed on the 2700 block of N. 14th and nearing completion on the 2600 block, that means our leasing agents at Cohen-Esrey are actually showing apartments and signing leases with people who are taking advantage of the opportunity to live in the heart of Old North at Crown Square.  Give them a call today if you don’t want to miss your chance.

6) Work is in progress making it possible for the return of the street to the 2600 and 2700 blocks on N. 14th Street!  This is the part that is largely hidden behind the construction fences, but rest assured that it’s actually coming soon, thanks to the hard work of our partners at the Regional Housing & Community Development Alliance (RHCDA) who have been navigating the complexities of a myriad of regulatory agencies and funding sources.  Stay tuned for more on that topic in a future post.

7) The opening of the Urban Studio Cafe.  The cafe has been warmly received by the community and has turned into a favorite neighborhood gathering spot for residents and outsiders who want a quick cup of coffee, a wireless signal for some web-surfing, a sweet pastry or a nourishing sandwich or cup of soup.

Acquisition and stabilization of endangered historic buildings by ONSLRG.  Earlier in the year Old North St. Louis Restoration Group acquired 8 vacant and deteriorated buildings from the City’s Land Reutilization Authority (thanks to support from Alderwoman April Ford Griffin) with the goal of stabilizing them so that they could survive long enough to be acquired and rehabbed by others.  Since then, ONSLRG has succeeded in selling 2 of them to rehabbers, has started exploring plans for redevelopment of 2 others and contracted with E.M. Harris Construction Company to carry out urgen stabilization work at the remaining 4.

9) Completion of historic rehabs at several owner-occupied properties.  While ONSLRG is investing funds to make it possible for future rehabs, several rehabbers have completed (for the most part) on major efforts to preserve and rehab formerly abandoned buildings.  Two of these, 3240 N. 19th Street and 1303 North Market, were featured at ONSLRG’s Annual Old North St. Louis House Tour in May.

3240 N. 19th Street has enjoyed a remarkable comeback from its previous condition as an empty shell missing its back wall.The former charcoal warehouse on the 1300 block of North Market has a new life as a cool, loft-like home.

10) Acquisition of other vacant properties and start of rehabs by individual rehabbers.  The work has only just begun at several other vacant buildings, but individual rehabbers in different parts of Old North are currently in the midst of bringing new life to long-neglected properties on Palm, Benton, North Market, and Monroe, among others.  One of these buildings, at 1307 Benton, is in the able hands of James Cox, right on the heels of getting a ”Most Enhanced” Award from Landmarks Association in May for the home he and his wife, Luz Maria Evans, rehabbed on Hebert.

1307 Benton in the midst of a major makeover.

11) Continued stream of volunteer help.  Much of the successes over the past year would not have been possible without the thousands of hours of help from volunteers - from within the neighborhood and from outside friends, relatives and supporters.  Sometimes these volunteers come as individuals, such as Brian Krueger, who helped out with many different tasks throughout the year, from staffing a table at the North City Farmers’ Market to planting, weeding, and harvesting in the 13th Street Community Garden; on other occasions, we get volunteers by the busload, including SLU Law School orientation service day students (thanks to Kathleen Parvis) and other students recruited and coordinated by New City Fellowship Church.

12) Ongoing support and attention from outside groups.  We also benefit from a broad range of outside groups who help share the Old North story by bringing their members or the general public in for tours and presentations.  This past year was much busier than previous ones, with numerous local groups, such as the regular visits from the Rehabbers Club and Metropolis, educational tours guided by local historian NiNi Harris, and the monthly bike rides coordinated by Bike St. Louis during the summer months; out-of-state visitors, including Iowa State University architecture students; and some foreign interest this years with visits from delegations from as far away as Russia and Thailand (thanks to UMSL). 

Thanks again to all who have made 2009 such an eventful and exciting year!

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North City Farmers’ Market Continues to Add Flavor to Old North Every Saturday Morning

Although KSDK-TV (Channel 5) reporter Ashley Yarchin didn’t quite capture the crowd at its peak in her news story about the market last week, the North City Farmers’ Market continues to draw Old North residents and healthy-food hungry customers from surrounding neighborhoods every Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to noon.  Come on out tomorrow morning to pick up your fresh produce and show your support for the market while getting a chance to enjoy the tasty samples prepared on the spot by Chef Euylan Welch and the great sounds of this week’s featured musician, Bob Reuter.

By the way, if you’ve got some time to contribute, contact market master Sarah Pritchard at sarahpritchard@yahoo.com.

You can watch the full report below:

 
For more information about the market, contact the North City Farmers’ Market project coordinator at: lucas@northcityfarmersmarket.org.

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Now’s Your Chance to Become a Part of “One of the Country’s Best Revitalization Stories”

Recently we used this space to celebrate the achievements in preserving and breathing new life into historic buildings throughout Old North (see post from July 4) - and once again, Kaid Benfield of the Natural Resources Defense Council in Washington, DC, picked up the message and shared our story with the rest of the world.

Kaid Benfield's latest blog post about Old North St. Louis on July 6 draws the attention of his readers to the progress at Crown Square.

In previous posts over the past year or so, Benfield, the director of NRDC’s Smart Growth Program, has referred to Old North as “one of the country’s best revitalization stories” and described the neighborhood as “the very antithesis of sprawl.”

Now YOU can get in on the action, become a part of the community, and keep the neighborhood’s momentum going all at the same time.  Last week the Old North St. Louis Restoration Group released a Request for Proposals for the purchase and redevelopment of six (6) vacant, historic buildings in the North Market area of Old North St. Louis.   The full details of this RFP can be found in the Rehabbers page of the Real Estate section of the ONSL.org website, where you can download the RFP and see a listing and photos of all of the properties:http://onsl.org/rehabbers/.

Old North St. Louis Restoration Group purchased these properties from the City of St. Louis with the purpose of stabilizing them before they deteriorate any further or completely collapse.  Since the ideal scenario would be to get these properties into the hands of legitimate rehabbers who have commitment and resource to preserve the buildings, ONSLRG would like to give rehabbers or developers the chance to purchase them before ONSLRG spends significant funds on stabilization.  If serious offers do not get submitted by August 14, ONSLRG will begin work on the buildings and offers to purchase after that date will be expected to cover those stabilization expenses.

With this offer, you can get a limited edition Old North historic property and customize it to create your dream home.   The following buildings are just three of the historic properties available through this RFP:

The building at 1312 Warren is in the Crown Square redevelopment area and is sandwiched between two other buildings that have already experienced complete historic rehabs.

The little building at 1217 North Market should be small enough to make it more manageable and affordable for an individual rehabber. The house is between a new North Market Place home and one of the nine buildings part of the North Market Place Apartments development that won a "Most Enhanced" Award from Landmarks Association a couple years ago.

At first glance, the building at 1300 Monroe may seem a bit challenging, but we have plenty of experienced rehabbers in Old North who can share their expertise and make referrals to reputable contractors. Besides, this building features a nice view of the Arch, straight down 13th St., and was featured in the New York Times a few years ago.

To learn more about these properties and the process for making an offer for one or more of them, download the RFP from the Rehabbers page.  If you would like to make an offer or have questions after reviewing the information included in the RFP, call ONSLRG’s real estate development coordinator, Karen Heet, at 314-241-5031, or send her an email - karen@onsl.org. 

If you’re not up for taking on a rehab project, you can still help out by sending ONSLRG a contribution to help cover the rather hefty costs of stabilizing these buildings.  For this option, call executive director Sean Thomas at 314-241-5031 or send him an email - sean@onsl.org.

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A Sampling of Recent Good Things Going on in Old North

Todd Antoine of Great Rivers Greenway addressing the cyclists in Old North for the Tuesdays with a Twist bike ride on June 16.

Jackson Park has been getting a major makeover thanks to funds secured by Alderwoman April Ford Griffin. Watch for photos soon of progress there.

The Urban Studio Cafe is gearing up for an opening this summer, thanks to funds awarded to them as a winner of the Skandalaris Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation Competition. Congratulations to Phil, Claire, Liz, and all of their supporters.

Peter Sparks continues to make progress with the renovation of his building at 2701 N. 14th Street.

The 13th Street Community Garden is tended regularly by garden coordinator Veronica Holden and her children, as well as other neihgborhood residents, including neighbors from Jackson Park Senior Apts.

Meanwhile, the current season of the North City Farmers’ Market has had 4 good weeks already, despite the blistering temperatures during the past couple Saturdays.   Please note that the market will not take place this coming Saturday, July 4th, so our many volunteers and workers can enjoy the holiday with their families.

Tom staffs the table full of produce from Lee Farms on Saturday, June 27.

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Old North called “one of country’s best revitalization stories”

For the the third time in less than a year, Kaid Benfield has taken note of the revitalization under way in Old North St. Louis.  As the director of the Smart Growth Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, Kaid has spent considerable time looking at and studying cities across the country, and he regularly shares his perspective on good policies and effective strategies for achieving sustainable development.  Last week Kaid used his blog to highlight the progress being made in Old North.

Kaid mentions that he could barely contain his enthusiasm last year when he discovered what has been going on in Old North, and offers his take on the neighborhood’s redevelopment: ”it is being brought back in a thoughtful, inclusive, diverse, grassrootsy sort of way, but with some terrific organizational support from the Old North Restoration Group and financial investment from the Regional Housing and Community Development Alliance, among bevy of supporters.”

In highlighting the success of Old North, Kaid makes his case that “no other single category of activity is more important to sustainable development thant revitalization.  When done properly, it’s great for residents old and new, great for cities, and great for the environment.”   

You can read Kaid’s full blog entry on the NRDC website - and take a look at some of the pictures of ONSL that he’s discovered and re-posted…and then you can come see it all for yourself at the Old North St. Louis House and Community Tour on Saturday, May 9.

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ONSL at Top of List of Neighborhood Success Stories

Once again Kaid Benfield, director of the Smart Growth Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, has used his blog to heap some praise on the revitalization under way in Old North St. Louis.  Kaid’s latest blog posting provides his list of the top 11 “very favorite smart, livable places that are contributing positively to the environment, as I’ve written about them over the past year.”   And guess which neighborhood he mentions first?  Topping the list is Old North, along with one of our pictures of Crown Candy and the line of customers stretching out the front door.

Kaid explains ONSL’s inclusion on the list by repeating his positive comments that he used in his original post about Old North in June of this year:

“Every now and then I run across a story that is so good, that feels so right, that I thank my lucky stars for the freedom NRDC gave me to evolve my career into working for better, more sustainable communities.  This is such a story, and it reveals an historic, diverse, inclusive neighborhood that is reclaiming its identity, restoring its infrastructure, empowering its residents, and securing its future . . .”

The full list of neighborhood success stories, including Kaid’s comments about ONSL, can be found by clicking on this link to Kaid Benfield’s 2008 List of Favorite Places.

One of the reasons Old North is catching the attention of people who care about nurturing sustainable neighborhoods is ONSL’s growing list of formerly collapsing, vacant buildings that have been transformed into attractive residential properties.  Among the recent examples of this achievement is the building at 2817 N. 14th Street, just a few doors up from Crown Candy.

2817 N. 14th Street in 2007

2817 N. 14th Street in 2008

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More Notice for ONSL’s Rebirth

ONSL has been getting quite a bit of attention lately. As noted in our previous post of June 16, Kaid Benfield of the Natural Resources Defense Council has shared his positive reviews of ONSL’s rebirth on his blog (Of the community, by the Community, and for the community). That commentary attracted the notice of Eddie Roth, an editorial writer for the Post-Dispatch, who reported about us on his blog (Plaudits for Northside Neighborhood,which begins with the assertion that “the Old North St. Louis neighborhood is really gaining traction as a community on the rise”) and has also been posted to the blog for the Greening the Heartland Conference (Old North: national press).
The Greening the Heartland Conference starts today and continues through Tuesday at America’s Center in Downtown St. Louis. The fifth annual conference on green building and sustainability is sponsored by the St. Louis Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. On June 13, the GTH blog put its spotlight on ONSLRG’s past-president and current vice president, John Burse. John will be presenting a workshop at the conference along with ONSLRG executive director Sean Thomas and RHCDA’s deputy director David Dodson. Click HERE to see the text of the interview with John and his thoughts about the revitalization of Old North.

John’s answers to the interview questions provide a good preview of what will be discussed at the workshop on Tuesday: “The work that has gone on in Old North is at a tremendous variety of scales done by a small and committed group of individuals. The driving force in Old North is grass roots based energy which is palpable and I can’t say enough about the level of determination. The principles which have fueled the work are at the heart of what it means to be socially, ecologically, and economically sustainable community.”

For more details about the workshop on Old North’s transformation or other events at the conference, visit the Greening the Heartland Conference website. Online registration for the conference is closed; however, the website notes that “there is still plenty of room at the conference.” If you want to attend, they advise you to “just come and register on-site” (at America’s Center).

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