8/31/06

CORNER OF WHITTIER & COOK
North St. Louis City

This photo was sent to me by my neighbor Mike G. A burned out mansion with columns supporting a turret. Looks like the original slate tile roof. What a tragedy.

8/27/06

TERRA COTTA URN

Gravois Park. Urn is resting above rowlock bricks (laid on their edge).

FROM THE BRICK FAIRY

This brick was a gift from Charlene Earlywine who also collects bricks here in TGS. We were acquainted with each other for some time before discovering our mutual interest.


2198 BRICK from the 1850's

8/25/06

ROSE FANNING GRADE SCHOOL - TGS

Brick School in TGS and Hydraulic Paver brick street. Architect: William B. Ittner. I attended kindergarten here.



BRICK PAVERS - Gravois Park

Buried beneath the asphalt on St. Louis streets and alleys are brick pavers that were manufactured by the Hydraulic Brick company owned and operated by T. S. Eliot's dad.

HYDRAULIC
CURVED (INTO ROUND) BRICK COLUMN

This column, with it's twin leaf capital, needs an encore.
THE CONTINENTAL BUILDING.

Ivory color brick.

8/24/06

Quoins Brick Benton Park West



Quoins (or Coin) Brick

Dressed stones or bricks at the corners of the building. Located on Utah and Oak Hill. TGS

8/23/06

8/22/06


BABY TURRET BPW

For Efficent:






BRICK BUILDINGS- BENTON PARK WEST.

For my sister Efficient, just to make her homesick. She lives in Tampa and we recently talked about my moving there.

Brick homes, I asked.
Cinder blocks, she said.
Not understanding, I repeated: Hey, are there any brick homes down there!?
Cinder block, she repeated.

The horrror!

Let's get this straight, Effy. If you're not visiting me in October like you said you would, I'm staying put. Don't forget to buy The Elements of Style, yo.

I love you little girl.

8/21/06

INTERNATIONAL TRUCKING - TGS

Flemish bond.
Soldier course is at the top when bricks stand vertically side by side.

3460 OAK HILL - TGS

This building has been standing empty for years in TGS. A proposal was recently accepted for its redevelopment. I'm relived since it's a killer art deco building that once housed 12 efficiency apartments. Each apartment had two entrances and a perfect floor plan with plenty of closets and storage space in the kitchens. It will be turned into 6 market rate condos. UPDATE 07/18/07 Still owned by LRA.

It is fronted with 'wormed' brick, the parking garage is no longer standing, only the pads. Parking will be an interesting consideration.

Lots of views from the roof, the building sits at the crest of the hill on the corner of Potomac and Oak Hill.





CLEARLY ABSTRACT - TGS

Maybe I'm having a bad day when it comes to calling brick but these is reminiscent of Mark Rothko's paintings. Located on 42 Utah near MGF.


ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONIST BRICK.

NICE ANGLE, BABY

Morgan Ford Rd near Connecticut Street. Totally bitchin.

SUNFLOWER BRICK

I never thought I'd say this about a brick: CUTE!

SUNFLOWER BRICK

8/20/06

ELEANOR'S HOUSE - TGS

41xx Connecticut. The Victorian Manse with a crazy turret that used to scare my little sister Efficient when we were kids.

The building extends all the way back to the alley. Towards the back top there's a little play house. My theory is that this was the first house on this area, it rests on the crest of the hill. Some fool covered it with asbestos tile siding.

It was recently bought by a woman who told me she stalked the building for a year before buying it. Previous to her purchase it housed at least three different apartments inside.









8/16/06


HAUNTED BRICK
(basket weave, 42 Utah)

Was strolling the MGF with my friend Tim last night. He's an architect and I am enamored of his tutelage on brick bonds. While snapping a photo of basket weave bonding and the building that host it, Tim exhaled.

8/11/06

FLEUR-DE-LIS

I do some creative driving and it allows me do conduct Brick spotting while motoring through the city. Fleur-de-lis spotting is my version of a scavenger hunt. It requires chronic scanning.
Page Blvd, north St. Louis.

FLEUR-DE-LIS

On the old Ibex building on Tower Grove Avenue.
Update 3/9/09: This building has been razed.


BEIGE MOTTLED BRICK

After a bit of google research I discovered that this style of front brick was indeed referred to as mottled Brick in the yards.