St. Louis American Editorial
Thursday, August 13, 2009

Urban preservation and politics

It says something about the City of St. Louis that some of its youngest leaders are showing, in the early days of their leadership, an interest in preserving what has been here for some time – or, at least, instituting some formal controls over what is and isn’t preserved. As 21st Ward Alderman Antonio D. French, age 31, celebrated his first 100 days in office recently, he had sponsored exactly one bill, which was passed and signed into law, making his North Side ward a preservation district. The City’s preservation ordinance, which was amended by French’s bill, makes demolition permits in designated areas subject to review and rejection by the Preservation Board, a group of mayoral appointees chaired by Richard Callow, a communications operative for Mayor Francis G. Slay.

Former Landmarks Association Assistant Director Michael R. Allen – who at 28 is even younger than French, and even more focused on preservation – has pointed out on his influential Ecology of Absence blog that almost all of South St. Louis is protected by preservation review, while very little of North City is. In fact, the only areas south of Highway 40 not covered by the City’s preservation ordinance are the Downtown 7th Ward, Stephen Gregali’s 14th Ward and the long southern leg of Marlene Davis’ 19th Ward. On the other hand, all of the heart of North St. Louis – other than, now, French’s 21st Ward – is not covered by the preservation ordinance and thus more vulnerable to demolition. As Allen wrote, “Loss of buildings means loss of residents, loss of jobs and loss of a sense of community – adding up to conditions that make wards vulnerable for land-banking.”

Allen is perhaps the best informed of a growing number of activist non-black city residents who are showing interest in the future of all of the city, including areas of North St. Louis with largely African-American demographics. The City’s youngest black aldermen – French and Kacie Starr-Triplett, in the near South Side 6th Ward – move comfortably in this crowd. As developer Paul McKee Jr. learned to his chagrin after Allen uncovered and published his North City land holdings, it is an energetic, connected and media savvy segment of the urban electorate that has shown ability to attract attention – and, with attention, influence – greater than its actual voting strength.

Of course, urban preservationists applauded French’s securing of the 21st Ward Preservation District. And those of us who are deeply concerned about racial disparities in St. Louis have to look at Allen’s map of a South City with almost total preservation review and a North City with almost none and suspect that this is yet another area where white St. Louis has been taken care of – and taken better care of itself – than black St. Louis has.

At the same time, it would take someone with a keen eye for what Allen calls the “ecology of absence” to want to preserve as they are many of the North City neighborhoods in the 1st, 4th, 5th, 18th, 19th and 22nd wards that currently have no oversight by the Preservation Board. It also is worth questioning how much a board of mayoral appointees chaired by a core Slay operative like Callow can be counted upon to wield any genuinely independent judgment about which demolition permits should be granted in the city. These factors suggest that an instinct for leveraging and playmaking, as well as for preservation, might be in play in the formation of a new preservation district. No harm, necessarily, in that – North St. Louis needs a new generation of playmakers who know how to create and wield leverage.

Surely we can all agree that North St. Louis should not be preserved precisely as it is. The question then becomes how can French and other aldermen use preservation review to improve their neighborhoods. There is very much in dire need of improvement – and this improvement depends almost entirely on attracting more investment that leads to the creation of more jobs. We must not forget the need for greater economic development and job creation as we put in place standards for preserving the elements of our neighborhoods that deserve to remain standing in the city of our future.

Last night I was reminded of the final scene of one of my favorite movies, “The Candidate”. After Robert Redford’s character realizes he has won his election after a long and arduous campaign, he asks his campaign advisor, “What do we do now?”

For us in the 21st Ward the answer is clear: Now we begin the hard work of rebuilding our northside community.

For my friends and supporters outside my ward: Now we begin to organize across this city to make St. Louis a better place to live, work and play for ALL of our people.

I am so very appreciative of all the support from the people of the 21st Ward and my friends beyond its boundaries. Thank you all!