St. Louis Place itself, a long skinny park in the neighborhood that bears its name, is a jewel that has become tarnished. What could literally be the “town green” of a small town is overgrown, its private and public institutions largely forgotten.

This church, which if I remember correctly is Lutheran, is one example of the architecture that should be drawing people to the neighborhood.

Alas, it sits across the street from the oddest circle of asphalt in the city, seen here.