7 Row Houses - Barr Branch Library Historic District - St. Louis, MO - NRHP Historic Districts - Contributing Buildings on Waymarking.com

County of district: St. Louis Independent City
Location of building: 2600 to 2630 Lafayette Ave., St. Louis

"The front elevation of the seven, two and one-half story, three bay townhouses in Barr's Block is distinguished by brickwork panels which frame the recessed entrance and outline the bays of the central and end houses. Mortar of varying shades used for replacement tuckpointing now mars the unity of the overall design. Raised basements are of rusticated stone and stone is used for front steps and window sills. Above a patchwork of replacement cornice and fascia, the fashionable mansard silhouette is punctuated by remodelled dormers. Patterned slates have survived on the mansards of four of the houses; the remainder have been treated to green asphalt. All houses have two story, three-sided bay windows on the east elevation of their flat-roofed rear extensions. Most of the townhouses have been vacant for some time and water after a fire has undermined the structural support of the westernmost unit. Fortunately, the Block has recently been acquired by developers who plan to renovate the remaining townhouses.

"In May 26, 1896, a devastating tornado swept across St. Louis from the southwest leaving at least two hundred dead and millions of dollars of damage in its erractic wake. Both the Union Club and Mt. Calvary Episcopal Church were damaged beyond repair, but Barr's Block stood unscathed as did the buildings along the west side of Jefferson to the south. The church, staggered by its loss, was unable to meet its schedule of payments to Barr who reclaimed possession of the lot. The Union Club replaced its building with one flesigned by Grable, Weber & Groves in 1897.

"World War II housing shortages combined with mixed land use and extremely lenient zoning led to the radical- solutions proposed by the 1947 Comprehensive City Plan: "Present obsolete areas must be cleared and reconstructed. This is a social necessity as well as an economic essential."19 Much of the oldest part of the city including Lafayette Square was designated "obsolete" but the plan also included more immediately fundable proposals for highways and low-income housing. Conditions in the neighborhood of the Barr Branch District deteriorated during the 1950's as high-rise housing projects to the east brought a dramatic influx of poor blacks and an increase in real and perceived crime. The Union Club Building was razed in 1955. Barr's Block, which changed hands many times after William Barr's widow died in 1917, was a rooming house with ownership held by several different people.

"A modest version of the New Town concept has emerged as "Lafayette Towne", a development combining new construction, rehabilition and a maze of cul de sacs on interior streets. Now partially completed, the verdict on Lafayette Towne's success is not in. Renovation proposed for Barr's Block should be the first in Lafayette Towne certified under the new 25% ITC and could have substantial impact on the quality of work undertaken on other buildings. During a week-long 75th Anniversary celebration for the Library in September, 1981, a panel discussed neighborhood restoration and an exhibition. By September of 1982, vacant parcels between the Library and Barr's Block will be shared parking for residents of the row and patrons of the first Carnegie library in St. Louis." ~ NRHP Nomination Form