The magnificent view of St. Louis from the top of the Compton Heights Tower, starting with downtown and going in a counterclockwise direction:
Next is the view looking north up Grand Blvd towards St. Louis’s second downtown, Grand Center, with the North Side stretching off in the distance.
Looking northwest, we see Dogtown as well as St. Louis’s third downtown, Clayton, as well as I-44.
Looking southwest, the St. Louis State Mental Hospital, in serene, 19th Century isolation, sits on a hilltop near St. Louis Hills.
Looking southeast, St. Francis de Sales and the Budweiser Brewery dominate the skyline of the Near South Side.
And finally, the six smokestacks of the Cahokia Power Station loom across the river at Soulard.
One thing that is really striking is how green St. Louis is; the tree cover provides a valuable, if often overlooked component to the urban experience.
I agree with your observation about the greeness. After spending a year and a half working on the 22nd floor of a building downtown, I often noticed that when looking out the windows at the city towards my house. It’s amazing to have that vantage point in such a large city and look out to see mainly just trees.