St. Louis Blues

Following a link from today's news at ArchNewsNow, I learned about the possible destruction of the 108-year-old Syndicate Trust and Century Building at Ninth and Olive in downtown St. Louis. The unoccupied building sits across the street from the Old Post Office, which is in the process of being renovated into residences. The developers of this project contend that their plans cannot continue unless a parking garage is built on the site of the Century building. Two things boggle me: first, that the National Trust for Historic Preservation is supporting the demolition of the Century building with money, and two, that the renovation of one historic structure (Old Post Office) requires the demolition of another historic structure (Century).

Now I'm no expert on St. Louis and its downtown, but I've visited the city many times, since my girlfriend Karen's parents live in one of the city's suburbs. So on numerous trips I have seen and experienced different parts of St. Louis, including Washington Avenue and "Historic Downtown", two areas that are appealing for the quality of their old buildings. Much of the rest of St. Louis only has traces of the city's boom early last century, with vacant lots between these typically unused old buildings. So when I hear that one of these buildings is to be torn down to make way for a parking garage, it doesn't seem right. Isn't there another option? Can't the parking be located elsewhere? Are there any nearby vacant lots that can be filled before demolishing the Century?


Syndicate Trust and Century Building in background

Most likely all these - and more - questions have crossed the minds of the developers and other parties, but with its plans to demolish the Century, preservationists are stepping in to protect it. An online petition has begun to effect the National Trust's position and recommend the required parking be fit into the Century's shell, in my mind not the ideal solution but one better than solely a parking garage, whatever form it my take. And Metropolitan St. Louis, a group attempting to attract young people to St. Louis, has started a Save The Century! campaign.

All too often decisions are viewed as either/or, the field of preservation no different. The building is saved or it's not. Approaches that move away from this dialectic tend to just save the facade, or save a portion of the facade, or even save the facade and build a taller building behind it, all dishonest solutions. Maybe it's time to find another solution, one that respects the physical lineage of the city, while still making it work today. What that is I don't know, but we'll never have a chance of finding out if we demolish every historic building that stands in the way of a developer making more money.