Update: The streetscape improvements are complete.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be featuring the neighborhood of Baden, in the far north of St. Louis (in fact, it takes less time to get to Clayton from downtown St. Louis), which, like Hyde Park, The Ville, Old North and Carondelet, used to be an independent town later annexed by the City.

I’ll be honest; I considered never posting these pictures. I started at the intersection of Broadway and Baden, and set out in a south by southwest direction, and it seemed like all I could find were just absolutely devastated streets. I know much of western Baden is very nice, and I could easily trick many people into believing that some of the Gingerbread streetscapes I’ve photographed in this northern neighborhood are actually in St. Louis Hills. They’re not in South City; there are lots of beautiful, healthy and safe streets in North St. Louis.

But I decided I needed to let everyone know just how bad the oldest part of Baden is suffering, and these photos are honest, even if it makes us uncomfortable.

There were streetscape improvements going on, so soon this mostly abandoned commercial district will have new sidewalks. But there are few places left open.