Update: Destroyed after being hit repeatedly by brick thieves. The City of St. Louis cut ties with Paul McKee’s Northside in June of 2018.
I checked in on brick theft in Saint Louis Place this weekend, stopping first at one of my (and many others’) favorite houses along St. Louis Ave. It was not pretty; while I’m not sure if it has changed much since the last time I photographed it, I still think it’s patently ridiculous that such a beautiful house could suffer this fate. See the house here in better days, before it was hit by brick theft.
Seriously, I understand some houses that have been hit are tucked away on isolated streets, but this is right on St. Louis Avenue.
No…that's what happens when you have a video circulating the web for three years practically giving step by step instructions on how to go about destroying precious resources. There are a few businesses across the street and east of this building I believe. I don't believe this buildings are "hit" during broad daylight. The major damage happens during the wee hours of the night when nobody's home. Who's going to call when it happens. All the more reason to populate the area and undertake massive development, sooner rather than later!
No doubt some brick theft occurs at night on the major streets, but it certainly happens in the middle of the day as well. I've seem them myself–and been chased by them.