This is when I turn to my readers for help: does anyone know about the ArtCraft Venetian Blind Company? Their building has been stabilized on Olive Street in the eastern Central West End (well, satellite images show that the main mass of the building on the left is just a shell with no roof or floors).
I do not know anything about this building complex, but I will say that the middle section (with the arched false/former window openings) appears to be at risk of collapsing. While all of your pictures show it, the final one emphasizes the bulge and inward lean of the front facade, especially compared to the adjacent two buildings, which remain plumb. There are tie-rods running through the front facade, but if they have nothing left to anchor to, then they do not do much good. I consulted on a historic church with a similar problem; the repair work was expensive and difficult.
That makes sense, as that is the section of the building with no internal structure remaining as visible with Google Satellite images.
This was to be the main building in the Arizmendi Ecovillage (formerly Culver Way Ecovillage). I didn’t find an update from them since mid-2019 and the architectural drawings date to 2001. It was an intriguing and ambitious cohousing project, but appears to have been more challenging to get moving than they’d hoped. The plan included all of the buildings and land on this side of the block starting with the 3-story building and west to the end of the fencing on this property http://arizmendiecovillage.com/
Interesting! Thank you for shedding some light on what was going on with this building.
I worked for Artcraft Venetian Blind Company in 1957 and 58. I typed orders. I lived in The Evangeline Residence on 18th and Pine. I remember people’s faces but can’t recall names. Loved Saint Louis!!
I hear there’s herons living here now.