Now known as Maryland Plaza, the stretch of street between Euclid Avenue and Kingshighway was originally just Maryland Avenue. But it was platted with wide setbacks, and fire insurance maps show that it was known as Maryland Place. The apartment building above and below sits far back from Maryland, following the setback rule.

But of course, in the mid-Twentieth Century, a Modernist storefront was built out the front to accommodate the shopping needs of St. Louisans. I’ve been told this is where all the fanciest stores in St. Louis were before they decamped in the 1970s to the newly opened Plaza Frontenac. Below, if you look closely, you can see that #7 goes to the front door of the apartment building.

But then comes the seven houses of Maryland Place, which I suspect were built at the same time by a developer. They are now a condominium, as far as I can tell.

While they are in styles that range from the Colonial Revival to the Tudor Revival, they are unified in their setback and massing, so appear as a beautiful unified whole.

This one below looks like a duplex.

Next is Straub’s, which was actually built as two buildings. The first part to the east was designed by the son of Guy Tyler Norton, the staff architect of the Lemp Family.

Finally, at the corner is Straub’s, which is one of the few if only stores in St. Louis where you can find escargot for sale.