I know I’ve read and heard it passed around as common knowledge (and even repeated it myself) that the two lamella roofs in St. Louis were the now-demolished Arena and the gymnasium of the former St. Elizabeth’s Academy-now-International Institute. So I got excited when I learned that a warehouse on Manchester Avenue just west of Kingshighway clearly possesses a lamella roof, as well.
To the east, there is another warehouse with a similar profile, and I have to wonder if it, too, has a lamella roof. I’d like to know if anyone else knows of the existence of this unique roof style with no interior support columns in other buildings around St. Louis.
St Charles high School girls gymnasium
Thank you!
This Google image search shows photos from when Barack Obama spoke in the girls gym about 10 years ago.
https://www.google.com/search?q=obama+st+charles+high+school&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiIscqEv_6EAxVNgokEHUjrDHYQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=obama+st+charles+high+school&gs_lp=EgNpbWciHG9iYW1hIHN0IGNoYXJsZXMgaGlnaCBzY2hvb2xIpSlQ-AdY_idwAngAkAEAmAFloAGrE6oBBDMwLjG4AQPIAQD4AQGKAgtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZ8ICCBAAGIAEGLEDwgIFEAAYgATCAgoQABiABBiKBRhDwgINEAAYgAQYigUYQxixA8ICEBAAGIAEGIoFGEMYsQMYgwHCAgcQABiABBgYwgIGEAAYCBgeiAYB&sclient=img&ei=xo74ZYi2F82EptQPyNazsAc&bih=750&biw=1351&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1073US1073#imgrc=tsog7s0zsXjrbM
There is also one at the Ashley home store near the intersection of Manchester and Lindbergh
Thank you!
Wow it appears all of our Catholic (girls only) high schools are disappearing around the United States. My daughter ,and nieces are the 4th generation to benefit . In all fairness my brothers, school Augustinian Academy/ St. Louis also closed. My nephews , experience also.
St. Pius X church. Glasgo Village North County.
Faust Park has a lamella barn:
“Lamella Barn
The Lamella building structure was invented in 1908 by a housing official in Dessau, Germany. This method creates a building with wide, open spaces given its lack of a typical balloon frame. The Lamella Roof Syndicate in New York licensed the system to companies in 20 other cities, including St. Louis. Edward Faust introduced the lamella roof to St. Louis in 1925 during a lecture for architects and engineers at his home in Portland Place. The “Greater St. Louis” paper reported in 1925 that the lamella design were essentially wooden ribs which “curved on one edge, beveled at both ends, and connected into a continuous network, having the appearance of a fish net and the effect of an arch. They are short, easily handled, and when set into a curved roof have a great strength, due to their mutual bracings.” It is thought that this lamella barn is the first of its kind built within the United States. It measures 50 feet by 100 feet with a height of 36 feet. The architect, Gustel R. Kiewit, later designed buildings including the St. Louis Arena and the gymnasium of St. Elizabeth’s Academy on Arsenal using the lamella method. He later adapted the lamella concept to steel to construct the Houston Astrodome. The design was economical and easy to erect and was used for temporary buildings during WWII. The lamella barn was home to over 100 head of Black Angus cattle beginning in 1925.” – https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/c8f6dc5d6b0349f9bd111d0adc8a8db9
Great information. Thank you for that…off to Faust park to check it out asap
The gymnasium at Lutheran High School South?
There is an old American Legion hall located on Idadale in Wellston that has the same roof.
It is now Switchgrass Spirits Distillery. They have owned the business for 6 years. My son is part owner in the business.
Found your website while searching for information on an orphanage that my grandmother and siblings were in, in 1910. It was called the Industrial School and was located at 4036 Virginia. From what I can tell that it would have been located in the middle of Marquette Park.
Oh yes!!! I know of one very fragmentary photo of that place! I wish I could find a better photo and learn more about it. Few people have ever mentioned its existence.