Interactive History Map

2829 Magnolia Avenue

Fox Park || DeSales Impact Building

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2829 Magnolia is a three-story, four-family building in the Fox Park Neighborhood.

The building was originally constructed in 1892 and had been vacant for over 20 years when DeSales acquired it from the Land Reutilization Authority in December 2014.

This building is a key part of DeSales Impact, a scattered 36 unit, affordable housing development consisting of both new construction and older structures renovated to historic district standards.

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By the time work began on the 2829 Magnolia, long-term water infiltration had collapsed much of the interior structure, resulting in the need to replace about half of the floor joists and a complete rebuild of the rear wall. After rehab had begun, a heavy rainstorm caused a substantial portion of the brick and terra cotta cornice to fall into the front yard, however, the project remained on track.

Architecture firm Heine-Croghan redesigned the building, and EM Harris carried out the fantastic renovation.

((  Click Here  )) EM Harris Portfolio for DeSales Impact Project

((  Click Here  )) Learn More About Heine-Croghan Architects

Upon completion in 2015, the building received a “most enhanced” award from the STL Landmarks Association.

((  Click Here  )) View the 2016 Most Enhanced Projects from the St. Louis Landmarks Association

2800 Block Russell Avenue

Fox Park || Russell Place Properties

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In 2002, DeSales commissioned architects to study the derelict 2800 block of Russell Blvd with the concept to create a model infill project.

((  Click Here  )) Learn More About Russell Place from DeSales Community Development

To achieve this, DeSales had to acquire and demolish the gas station on the northwest corner of Russell Blvd and California Ave. The demolition of the gas station and the removal of its massive below-ground tanks required significant environmental remediation work.

DeSales also acquired other city-owned lots and properties on the block, including both a 1960s era ranch house and the former George and Emma Denison House - a beautiful historic building from 1880 located at 2815 Russell.

One of the oldest buildings in the Fox Park Historic District, the house at 2815 Russell was used as a boarding house for several decades. 

((  Click Here  )) Photo Gallery Slideshow

Some of the lots also contained community flower gardens from the federal “Weed and Seed” program in the 1990s. Neighbors graciously volunteered to give up their leases on the gardens so DeSales could complete the project. 

((  Click Here  )) Operation Weed and Seed from the U.S. Justice Department

While the 60s era ranch home at 2817 Russell was deemed appropriate for demolition, DeSales sold the historic home at 2815 Russel to Millennium Restoration & Development so the organization could focus its attention on the new construction component.

((  Click Here  )) Learn More About the 2815 Russell Property from Millennium Restoration & Development

The resulting streetscape today combines two new single-family homes, a pair of new two-family homes, and Millennium’s $500,000 restoration of the Denison House from plans by Killeen Studio Architects. 

((  Click Here  )) Killeen Studio Architects Historic Preservation Projects

The transformative $1.9 million new construction was designed by Heine-Croghan, with C.F. Vatterott Construction serving as the general contractor. 

Russell Place received significant support from then Alderman Lewis Reed, and financed with the help of a 10-year tax abatement from the City of St. Louis, Neighborhood Preservation Act tax credits, state historic tax credits, and additional constructed financing from the National City Bank Community Development Corporation.

((  Click Here  )) Neighborhood Preservation Act from the Missouri Department of Economic Development

2607 California Avenue

Fox Park

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2607 California is a single-family home in the Fox Park neighborhood that was built around 1910.  

In 2002, after the property was foreclosed, DeSales acquired the property with the intent to see it redeveloped into a beautiful, historic home.   

In 2015, DeSales recruited local for-profit developer Jefferson Broadway Historic Development LLC to renovate the property.  

Jefferson Broadway purchased the property in January of 2016. Later that year, Jefferson Broadway began rehabbing the property with the help of CDA funding, a private construction loan, and both state historic and neighborhood preservation act tax credits.

The end result is a beautifully renovated home that was sold to a new homeowner in June of 2017. 

2842 Ohio Avenue

Benton Park West

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2842 Ohio is a single-family home in the Benton Park West neighborhood that was built around 1886. 

In 2002, after the property was foreclosed, DeSales acquired the property with the intent to see it redeveloped into a beautiful, historic home.

In 2015, DeSales recruited local for-profit developer Jefferson Broadway Historic Development LLC to renovate the property. Jefferson Broadway purchased the property in January of 2016. 

Later that year, Jefferson Broadway began rehabbing the property with the help of CDA funding, a private construction loan, and both state historic and neighborhood preservation act tax credits.

The rehab included removing a derelict addition that was installed on the rear of the property and restoring some of the home’s original historic attributes. 

The end result is a beautifully renovated home that was sold to a new homeowner in June of 2017. 

2635-9 California Avenue

Fox Park || DeSales Community Garden

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In 1995, DeSales had completed the rehab of several buildings on California Avenue as part of their first low-income housing tax credit developments.

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In the middle of the block, there was a notoriously bad and vacant six-family building now owned by a bank. DeSales convinced the bank to donate the property and asked the community whether they should rehab or remove the building. Residents agreed nearly unanimously that they wanted it torn down.

((  Click Here  )) Photo Gallery Slideshow

After the building was gone, DeSales worked with volunteers (including longtime resident and board member Jim Hogan) and Gateway Greening to restore the area as a community garden that remains in operation today.

((  Click Here  )) Learn More About Gateway Greening Network Gardens

((  Click Here  )) View the Blueprint for DeSales Community Garden

((  Click Here  )) View the Press Release for DeSales Community Garden

3500 Utah Street

Tower Grove East

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3500 Utah is a mixed-use building located on the corner of Utah and Arkansas streets in Tower Grove East. 

During the late 1990s, the property had contained a convenience store in its first floor storefront that quickly became known for illicit activity. 

In 1999 a joint effort by Alderman Ken Ortmann, neighborhood residents, the police, and the circuit attorney’s office succeeded in getting the building shut down. 

Later that year, with city funds provided by the Alderman, DeSales purchased the building without an immediate plan other than to just control it.

Around this same time, local artist Ron Flier was looking for new studio space after the Washington Ave. building he was painting in was sold to a developer. One of Flier’s friends introduced him to DeSales Executive Director Tom Pickel in 2000. The first building Tom showed him during his search was 3500 Utah. Tom worked with Flier to submit a development proposal to the city after DeSales deeded the property over to the city’s Land Reutilization Authority. 

Flier’s proposal was accepted, and he has his wife began an extensive rehab of the property after the purchase was finalized in 2001.

Thanks to the support from DeSales, neighborhood residents, Aldermen Ken Ortmann and Jennifer Florida, and Ron and Vicki Flier, this once problem-property was converted to a beautiful loft-style artist studio with space made available for other artists to rent as studio space. 

2759 Russell Boulevard

Fox Park || DeSales Community Development

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DeSales Community Development has been working in the Tower Grove East and Fox Park neighborhoods since 1979.

((  Click Here  )) Photo Gallery Slideshow

2800 Shenandoah Avenue

Fox Park || The Little Fox

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DeSales acquired 2800 Shenandoah in 2002 after two years of vacancy. 

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It was sold in 2004 to a developer who defaulted. After four years of lawsuits, DeSales got the building back.

In December 2011, after the Recession, DeSales sold the building to Michelle and Mehra Veremakis of V2 Properties, who carried out an outstanding rehabilitation using Historic Tax Credits.

The building underwent a complete renovation and has two apartments on the second floor and a restaurant, The Purple Martin, on the first floor.

((  Click Here  )) Photo Gallery Slideshow

As of 2020, the first floor houses a fantastic local restaurant, The Little Fox.

((  Click Here  )) Check Out the Menu of the Little Fox

3504 Crittenden Street

Tower Grove East

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In 1994, a group of residents on the 3500 block of Crittenden in Tower Grove East approached DeSales about the house at 3504 Crittenden. 

This home, like many others in the area, was converted into a boarding house during the Depression-era, and was the last remaining boarding house-style property on Crittenden at the time.

((  Click Here  )) Read the National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form for 3504 Crittenden Street

The property had gone through a series of absentee owners and was currently vacant. A local real estate investor held the note on the property.  

DeSales contacted the investor and made arrangements to purchase the note and foreclose to take control of the property. DeSales acquired the property in September of 1994 and began soliciting development proposals. 

We ultimately accepted a proposal from a young couple that were renting on the 3500 block of Arsenal nearby.  We assisted them with pursuing construction financing from Commerce Bank and sold them the property shortly thereafter. 

The appraisal came back at 165,000, which was the highest appraisal on the block at that time. 

The couple successfully completed a beautiful gut-rehab of the property in 1996, restoring the home to its original use as a single-family home. 

3203 Halliday Avenue

Tower Grove East

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Through the late 1980s, 3203 Halliday was a problem property owned by absentee landlords. After a murder in the 1990s, it became vacant and the building itself started to fall apart.

DeSales was able to acquire it by buying the note and foreclosing on it. Though residents wanted the building demolished due to its history, DeSales felt like removing a building with high elevation and corner placement would create a "missing tooth" feeling and instead decided to include it in its first low-income housing tax credit development in Tower Grove East.

After working with and educating the neighborhood association, DeSales was able to convert the four-family building into two townhouse units that they continue to own and manage.

2300 Minnesota Avenue

Tower Grove East

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At the southwest corner of Shenandoah and Minnesota in Tower Grove East are three identical 4-family buildings. 

Back in the late 80s to early 90s these were a big problem; they were owned by a single absentee landlord and they were the focus of a lot of drug dealing and nuisance activity.  

In the mid-90s, thanks to some aggressive action by TGENA and the alderman, the city managed to shut the buildings down. By that time the middle building at 2307 Minnesota had also suffered some significant fire damage. 

In 1998, DeSales Community Housing Corporation negotiated to purchase the buildings from the owner. Then the challenge was what to do with them. 

DeSales made several unsuccessful attempts to recruit a developer or to rehab the buildings ourselves.

During this same period, we were able to acquire a vacant house at 3110 Shenandoah that was directly behind the Minnesota buildings. This was a wood frame house, one of the few in the neighborhood. We requested and received approval to demolish this house to provide land for off-street parking for the Minnesota properties.  

It was not until 2002 that we received and accepted a proposal from Metropolitan Building and Design to rehab the buildings and convert them to 6 condominiums under the name Shenandoah Place Condominiums. We sold the buildings to Metropolitan in 2003.

((  Click Here  )) Metropolitan Build's Portfolio Entry on Shenandoah Place

They carried out a beautiful historic tax credit rehab project that includes a covered parking area in the rear for residents. And those buildings look good to this day.

2300 Block Compton Avenue

Tower Grove East || The Nines on Compton

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In 1987, the Tower Grove East Neighborhood Association went to 8th Ward Alderman John Koch and Desales about a troubled set of buildings on the 2300 block of Compton.

Koch went to the city and obtained money to buy the properties, which Desales did. A recession at the end of the '80s slowed rehabbing plans, so in 1992, the city formed a non-profit (Community Development Housing Corporation) to do the work.

Throughout 1992 and 1993, the buildings were rehabbed, with some being demolished to create side yards. The resulting nine units, which were sold in 1994, remain beautiful homes.

2657 Armand Place

Fox Park || Armand-Ohio Properties

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Throughout the 80s, Desales managed two buildings on the northeast corner of Armand and Ohio that had been acquired by the St. Louis Housing Authority as part of a program to move residents out of high rise projects into scattered-site developments.

((  Click Here  )) Learn More About the Mission and Vision of St. Louis Housing Authority

Restrictions in the mid-90s made it hard to effectively manage the property, so Desales relinquished it. After a quick decline, the Housing Authority shut it down in 1997.

A few years later, they came under pressure to reoccupy vacant units and came to Desales and the neighborhood with a plan to renovate.

Desales had long felt that the property's troubles came from its high density (seven units in just two buildings) and countered with a suggestion to demolish three townhouses and create an open play area for the property's children.

The Housing Authority agreed and the property today is privately managed in good condition, thanks to its reduced density.

((  Click Here  )) Learn More About the Armand-Ohio Properties

3434 Humphrey Street

Tower Grove East

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3434 Humphrey St is a residential property located in Tower Grove East. Formally a two-family building, DeSales purchased the property in 2009 and helped recruit local historic developer Patty Maher to renovate the building into a single-family home.

((  Click Here  )) Read More About Patty Maher's Historic Rehab Projects

2716 Shenandoah Avenue

Fox Park || Super Tru-Buy Building

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DeSales Community Development, The City of St. Louis, The Fox Park Neighborhood Association, and elected officials were instrumental in repurposing the land once occupied by the Super Tru-Buy in the Fox Park Neighborhood of St. Louis.

((  Click Here  )) Fox Park Neighborhood Association

2816 Accomac Street

Fox Park

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2816 Accomac is a large historic home in the Fox Park neighborhood built in 1902. DeSales purchased the home in 2000 from an owner living in Sullivan, MO.

2841 Pestalozzi Street

Fox Park || The Princess Theatre

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This is the first destination on the map in which DeSales was not directly involved.  

On Pestalozzi and Oregon, directly across from the QuikTrip, sits a building with a cinematic history.

The Princess was the first indoor theatre to have a airdome attached to its side. In the summer when it was warm the movies would switch to the outside and you would view them from benches set up southside.

((  Click Here  )) Learn More About the History of the Princess Theatre

The theatre was never operated by a chain, it was always an independent. It opened as the Pestalozzi Theatre in 1916 and seated 593. It mostly played the movies second and third run. With the coming of television this was one of the first theatres to close, and this happened in 1951.

((  Click Here  )) Entry on the Princess Theatre in the St. Louis Patina

1923 California Avenue

Fox Park

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1923 California Ave is a historic building in the Fox Park neighborhood.

2300 Block Louisiana Avenue

Tower Grove East || The Louisiana Buildings

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In the late 1980s, DeSales Community Development acquired three buildings in the 2300 block of Louisiana Ave in Tower Grove East.

2758 Russell Boulevard

Fox Park || Fox Grove Management

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Sister office to DeSales Community Development, home to Fox Grove Management.

The property management arm of the organization, FGM manages affordable housing properties throughout the city of St. Louis.

((  Click Here  )) Learn More About the Properties in the Fox Grove Management Portfolio

3200 Shenandoah Avenue

Fox Park || Crafted Cocktail Bar

((  Click Here  )) Photo Gallery Slideshow

This property is currently home to Crafted Cocktail Bar, a staple in the Fox Park neighborhood.

2101 South Jefferson Avenue

Fox Park || American Eagle Credit Union

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Early in the 1990s, a Taco Bell was built at Jefferson & Russell, replacing an old gas station; not long after a McDonald's cropped up as well. These operations didn’t last long, and eventually closed around 1998.

The property was put on the market for sale and then for lease. We were concerned about what might happen with the property, which is right at the main entrance to Fox Park neighborhood.

In 2000, we had just closed on the financing or our third Low Income Housing Tax Credit project. We had a little money we could put to use and we really wanted to control what happened with the Taco Bell.

((  Click Here  )) Learn More About the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program

We approached South Side National Bank to ask if they would make us a loan to purchase the property, even though we had no firm plan for what we would do with it. And they agreed! We closed on the deal in February 2001.

Even before we closed we had heard the Anhueser-Busch Employees Credit Union was looking for a site to launch a new venture, to be called American Eagle Credit Union. We contacted them and they confirmed they were looking for a site that had to be in the 63104 zip code. 

((  Click Here  )) Learn More About the Anhueser-Busch Employees Credit Union

They also told us that they had identified a property on Broadway east of Soulard that they were focusing on. We made the case that the Jefferson & Russell site would provide much greater visibility for the new credit union.

After several months of persuasion on our part, the credit union said they would commit to leasing our property if we could make the deal financially equal to the Broadway site. Essentially this meant that we would have to fund most to the cost to renovate and convert the old fast food restaurant into a credit union.  

So, we set about to raise the funds to do this. I am happy to say that we succeeded in getting a grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development and a loan from the St. Louis Local Development Company, the small business lending arm of St. Louis Development Corporation.

((  Click Here  )) St. Louis Development Corporation (The City of St. Louis)

2101 South Jefferson Avenue

Fox Park || Southside Early Childhood Center

((  Click Here  )) Photo Gallery Slideshow

In the fall of 2009 American Eagle, which had leased the commercial property at Jefferson and Russell from us since 2002, informed us that they would not be renewing their lease when it expired in 2012. This presented us with the challenge of either finding a suitable new tenant or selling the property.  

It so happened that in mid-2010 we were contacted by a real estate broker who was representing South Side Day Nursery, in a search for a site to build a new facility to replace their outdated building at Iowa Ave. and Crittenden St. in Benton Park West. 

South Side Day Nursery is a remarkable St. Louis institution. It was founded in 1888 to provide childcare for mothers, mostly immigrants, who worked in local factories or private homes.

((  Click Here  )) First Unitarian Church's History of Southside Early Childhood Center

It started in the LaSalle Park neighborhood and moved to the Benton Park West site in the 1950s. The new site they were looking for would be just their third location in over 120 years.

((  Click Here  )) Complete History of the Southside Day Nursery

South Side’s interest in the Jefferson site included the entire block face between Russell Blvd. and Ann. Ave.

The property at the southern end of the block had been foreclosed on by a local bank and subsequently acquired by the city with funds from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

((  Click Here  )) More Information About the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)

The city-owned property included two buildings, a mixed-use building at the corner and a small four-family that faced Ann. Both were vacant and in disrepair. 

South Side’s plan called for the construction of a new 19,000 square foot building with an outdoor play area and a lot for parking and drop-off & pick-up.

In late 2010, as we were negotiating a sale with South Side, we were approached by a commercial real estate agent with an attractive offer to lease the credit union property to Subway Corporation. Our board considered this offer but ultimately decided that that South Side plan would be in the better long-term interest of Fox Park and the Jefferson corridor.

In March 2011 the DeSales Board approved a contract to sell our property to South Side. We also assisted in their negotiations with the city to acquire that portion of the block, as well as with their application for a permit to demolish the two buildings.

Although these were classified as contributing buildings within the Fox Park Historic District, there was general consensus that the benefits of having South Side move its facility to the site outweighed the case for preservation. Ultimately, the demolition was approved by the city’s Preservation Board.

In February 2013, South Side, having updated their name to South Side Early Childcare Center, broke ground for its new $4.5 million building. Construction was completed and the building opened in September 2014.

True to its original mission, South Side remains committed to serving the children of low income and working class households. However, the new facility has enabled them to attract more fee-paying, middle income families, resulting in greater financial stability and true economic diversity among the young students and households they serve. 

((  Click Here  )) Learn More About the Mission of Southside Early Childhood Center