The Beauty of Dutchtown Series continues with No. 68.
Moving north of Nebraska Avenue, we see a four-family that has lost its front porch, and the subsequent remodeling.
The next four-family is interesting; it was clearly a single family house with a pyramid roof sitting back on its lot and then the developer of the four-families bought it, slapping an extension on it out the front! How interesting.
Above, a house’s front porch was converted to enclosed living space, Below, I’m intrigued how the street grid creates bends in the street wall, as can be seen below.
Sadly, the older housing stock is becoming abandoned.
Or in the case of the estates on the large parcels between the bluffs and South Broadway, demolished and replaced with forgettable apartment complexes.
Then there’s this amazing house, which has been sitting derelict for years; I can’t believe no one wants it.
More interesting apartment buildings follow with balustrades.
Next are some good, solid “working class palaces” as I call them, which are so common in Dutchtown.
Then there’s this.
The ubiquitous four-family with the single entryway is a type that has proven to be difficult for many managers.
Finally, an old corner store by a gas station ends our tour before the interstate. Nearby is the old Merck complex and Sugar Load Mound.
I’m interested in your comment about the four-families with single entrance. They are ubiquitous indeed in StL. Can you say more about what the challenges are?
The central hallway is difficult for maintenance, I have been told, and many people like having their own separate entrance off the front porch. Also, and while there has been increased attention on the loss of affordable rental units in the city, if there is interest in converting a four-family into two condo units, the lack of exterior entrances makes it difficult to do so.