Little Sadie says Good-bye

Chris has been in town the last few days packing up his partner and her children to move them to the West coast with him. He called a few times, we missed each other then finally today I was able to drive over to say good-bye. Again. We've been in the good-bye business for the last year.

The Red Diamond Inn was jumping with friends and family helping with the packing. I made my brief appearance and headed out to the street where I saw five year old Sadie sitting alone on the stoop with her head lowered to her fists.

What's wrong Little Sadie, I asked sitting down beside her.
I miss my friends, she wailed.
I pulled her onto my lap.
You'll make new friends in Seattle and it's beautiful there.

She said, I don't care about seaddle! No one asked me if I wanted to go, I was told. I wasn't given a choice!

I was astounded by her self awareness, eloquence, and understanding of choice.

I realized telling her about Seattle was only dismissing her grief.

Why will you miss your friends, I asked. Because I know the power of separation and how poorly I had just handled it with Chris. I was practically indifferent not wanting to become emotional and distract him from packing and the time line.

They are nice to me and fun to play with. They like me.
She then told me about one of the older boy she would miss as I admired the part of her hand where she has dimples and I have knuckles.

What else will you miss?
This house. My bike, I don't get to take it, my Mom is donating it (this was said with a bit of despair). I want to stay here!

We dawdled a bit as I talked about the mountains and flying in an airplane. The people will look this big she said as she jumped off my lap and showed me a small rock.

I took her plump hand, and we crossed the street so she could take a good look at the Red Diamond Inn. To say good-bye to it I guess.

I see something you don't see she announced.
I remembered the game and asked about the color. She grinned. We played the gane for ten minutes.

Eventually she pushed her bike back into the yard, hugged me and waved good-bye. A good-bye much more graceful and poignant than I had managed.

Chris, I forgot to tell you I love you.
Of course you know that...I just needed to say it.

PROPER ARCHITECTURE

Presenting a variety of buildings in TGS proper. I define TGS proper by the old neighborhood lines of my childhood here: Grand to MGF and Arsenal to Chippewa.
Stone ranch house:

Painted cinder block (reminds me of Florida):

Single Family Homes, 40 Parker:



This is the only block in STL that reminds me of San Francisco

Bungalow, 40 Utah

Duplex on Utah:

Lustron house 41 McDonald:

PURINGTON PAVER: A FIELD IDENTIFICATION GUIDE

Last week I made an arrangement to meet Jen in the alley while I guarded a discarded wood table and chair that I thought she would like.

I dilly dallied in the alley waiting when a neighbor opened his garage door to chat, spotted the table and announced it was his. We argued over it for a bit until I saw Jen and Peanut in the distance trekking up the alley.

Happy Birthday, Jen said as she handed me this paver. My friends are the BEST!
Click on the title above to read all about Purington.

MY GARDEN & VERANDA For Joyce

Veranda:

3460 Oak Hill - Swan Song?

Today I went to survey 3460 Oak Hill and while snapping photos I heard from the street, Is this 3460 Oak Hill? (Yes, that's correct, one of the many code violations on this building includes missing address numbers.)
A guy in a pickup wanted to know, I asked him to pull over and we chatted. He told me the LRA owned property was going up for auction tomorrow. I questioned his info while my blood pressure danced. If it's back on the block when Sam Meller supposedly had the green light I will personally resuscitate that recall.

He showed me a print out from CDA and I pointed to Developer typed behind the address.

We were both confused: he had a print out of auctions, I thought I was reading that it was being developed.

I Googled 3460 Oak Hill and found http://stlcin.missouri.org/devprojects/projinfo.cfm?DevProjectID=387 This was last updated in 2001 when the Codd Brothers were attempting to redevelop the building.

I recall Mark Ettling, the former Director of GOHCC announcing on our neighborhood listserv: 'A historic survey of 16 blocks in Ward 15 was completed by Lynn Josse. The next step will be to submit an application for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.'

Ironic? You betcha.

At this point the historic art deco building is destined to be an empty LRA Lot. The concrete pilings now have severe cracks in them which weren't there last fall(pardon my poorly rendered red arrows), bricks have fallen off, rows of bricks have fallen off the parapet, and rows of mortar is missing from the West side of the building.

Why have alderwoman Jennifer Florida, LRA, and CDA allowed this to happen?
A perfectly sound proposal was submitted in 2001 by the Codd Brothers and dismissed when no other proposal was being considered.
http://stlouisbricks.blogspot.com/2007/07/3460-oak-hill-redux.html

Last year I took a photo of this same view. Now there's missing bricks to the parapet along with a row of listing bricks about to fall. This is now a Life Safety issue.


Trees are now growing into the foundation.

These cracks in the concrete pilings weren't there last year. Click on the photos to enlarge.



About 20 feet of the parapet is missing, I suspect it fell in towards the roof. This isn't a visual perspective issue, I checked it from various views; it's gone baby, gone.

Missing mortar.

Bricks are missing along with rows of mortar.



The side parking pad (once a matching garage) is now a pile of bricks.

SPEAKING OF GARAGES....

Frame and cinder block garages and the occasional asbestos shingle are standard on St. Louis south side. Of course my two car garage is brick but I haven't done a photo of it. Yet.

Some garages were built with warmth and talent like this precious gem a block down from my home.
Hand made wood corbels painted baby blue. I'm not taking off points for the asbestos shingles due to the artistry of construction.

I'm charmed by the piece of metal that was added to the top of the service door. My neighbor made one of those for my garage door to prevent the rain from rotting the top.

Brick garage with a stand of bamboo:

Brick and cinder blocks:

Low tech folding doors (I have these!)

Rotting:

These garages were built on the angle that follows the houses on a gently curved street.

Update - MARTI FRUMHOFF Memorial Garden in TGS

Last week I met with Tim Moffit (left) and John Kohler from the St. Louis Dept. of Public Service to discuss the details of Marti's Memorial garden.

They are standing at what will be the East end of the garden. It will expand eight feet to the south and two to the north. It will be quite large, estimated at 3,000 square feet. The city will start working on it in 2-3 months. And we're getting irrigation!

I have to give a huge shout to 10th ward alderman, Joe Vollmer for approving a hefty hunk of funding to expand the space.

Of course we still need help with the funding that goes towards the physical planting (and purchasing the plants and trees), benches, the memorial plaque and long term maintenance. Go here to donate via pay pal: http://www.martifrumhoffmemorial.org/ or email me for my address to send a check. Please help us create this space for one little woman who was a force in our city!

TERRA COTTA FLEUR-DE-LIS

In the twelfth century, either King Louis VI or King Louis VII became the first French King to use the fleur-de-lis on his shield. Later, several English kings incorporated the symbol into their coats of arms to show their claims to the throne of France.

From the block of 3900 Juniata, the fleurs span the cornice of the building.



According to Chapter 1.20 of the City of St. Louis Revised Code, the City of St. Louis flag is the following:

"The flag with a solid red background has two broad heraldic wavy bars, colored blue and white, extending from the left top and bottom corners toward left center where they join and continue as one to the center right edge. This symbolizes the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. Over the point of confluence a round golden disk upon which is the fleur-de-lis of France (blue) calling attention to the French background of the early city and more particularly to St. Louis of France for whom the City is named. The golden disk represents the City and/or the Louisiana Purchase. (Heraldically, the disk is a "bezant" or Byzantine coin signifying, money or simply purchase.)

The flag’s colors recall those of Spain (red and yellow or gold), Bourbon France (white and gold), Napoleonic and Republican France (blue, white and red), and the United States of America (red, white, and blue)."

COLUMNS - TGS

My house.
I found those wood storm doors in the alley over ten years ago and stored them in the garage until I found someone willing to cut them down and install them.

Roman brick on the porch and a stellar brick column with corinthian capital.

FRANK HARDT BUILDING

Brannon and Chippewa