This is my 14th consecutive year looking at St. Louis’ Martin Luther King Drive — documenting physical changes since the prior year. Next year, my 15th, may well be my last. Each year it gets more and more depressing to do.
Each year there is at least one bright spot, but they pale in comparison to the profound disinvestment.
So here is a look at St.Louis’ Martin Luther King Drive, starting at 14th and heading West to the city limits. In some cases I’ve included previous photos to compare to this yesr. All photos for this year were taken a week ago.
2013: A former BarnesCare building at 14th & MLK built in 2001, was vacant.2017: Someone was preparing to reuse the building2018: became occupied again last year. It still lacks a pedestrian access route from the pub lic sidewalk2016 — work underway on the Electrical Workers Historical Society — aka the Henry Miller Museum20172018 — I still haven’t visited the museum….hours are by appointment only. Click image for info20122018 — more of the back section has fallen awayThe old configuration of MLK Dr & Page. Source GoogleDriving WB it is largely unchangedBut driving EB on MLK traffic turns toward a signal with PageThis happened in 2016 or 2017…not sure whichLast year a sign was posted about Vandeventer Place, a senior community, to be builtMLK @ PendletonThe entrance is off the less busy Pendleton, it includes an accessible route for pedestrians next ro the circle driveAcross Pendleton is a file and then an older strip shopping centerLike new gas station/convenience stores pn MLK, this older strip center lacks a pedestrian access route.Before 2014. MLK @ Taylor. Source: Google Streetview.2014 New storefront is vacant2018 — storefromt now occupied by a 2nd location of MC Appliances. Click image to view their website2014: The Family Dollar store #1562 at 4949 Dr. Martin Luther King closed2018 reopened as a Dollar General2013…just West of Union20172018 — pile unchangedBuilding across MLK had a recent fire. Hopefully it’ll get rehabbed this year.2017 — for several years this burned building remained at Stewart Pl @ MLK2018 — it was razed, not rehabbed2017 Signs announcing a bank coming to MLK2018 — the bank is now open…but it lacks a pedestrian access route2018 auto drive-thruBuilding a block East of the old JCPenny had a fire recently. Will it be stabilized, razed, or rehabbed a year from now?Stabilization of the beloved Wellston loop trolley building removed eaves that were rotting & falling off
A few bright spots…but lots of overwhelming problems.
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