I realized that while I investigated the Carr Square neighborhood in two pieces at St. Louis Magazine several years ago (you can read the first part here, and the second part here), I had neglected to take a look at what the are looks like now.

To put it mildly, you would never imagine that the leafy, tree-lined streets were once one of the densest neighborhoods in St. Louis, really the Lower East Side of the Gateway City. And it’s all gone, completely.

There is Transfiguration Lutheran Church, whose history you can read about here.

The original public housing has been torn down (or maybe its the second generation that was torn down?) and new public housing is being built. Isn’t that something?

The center of the community is the center above, as well as the park, which was originally named Carr Square, after William Carr, who laid out the additions to the city way back in the 1840s. The park is now named after Loretta Hall. William Carr is not to be confused with William Carr Lane, the first mayor of St. Louis.

Carr School continues to deteriorate.

These public housing units sit bombed out.

Perhaps what is most striking is that the city ceases to exist on the blocks around the public housing. What are people supposed to do for work, fun or even groceries?