I’ve observed this block of Hebert Street for years, and I’ve always been interested in how well preserved many houses are, and I’ve also been saddened how nothing has happened to others in over fifteen years of looking at Old North.

I don’t seem to have photos of those early years, but here are views of the block from December of 2013 (last two photos) and July of 2014.

Nonetheless, the houses that are in great condition are splendid examples of the Second Empire style.

They sit right next to abandoned houses that have only seen new boards put in their windows or more boards fall out.

This pair below are perhaps two of the most interesting.

The house below is a Second Empire house but its Mansard roof has been lost.

The streetscape is still impressive, despite some of the houses being vacant or not intact from their original appearance.

I remember going to an open house back before the housing bubble burst in 2007 where the list price was over $300,000. Those days are gone. In fact, one day I found a random city website with charts that show with only a few exceptions that housing values have not recovered in St. Louis neighborhoods since 2008.