Citylover, what a fantastic thread!
I purchased this tome when it was first released (and it wasn't cheap for a paperback!). It's worth every penny though.
It alternately excites me, and depresses me, when I look at these pictures...
I'm excited by how much of our built environment and infrastructure remains, along with the possibility of attracting quality infill and perhaps reclaiming at least some of the original streetcar routes. (Trent, I agree that Grand would be a great place to start given the steady and significant volume of riders, and I would get a lot more use out of Metrolink if a streetcar line was available there).
I get rather depressed, though, when I see the pictures (especially of North Saint Louis and Midtown) where wanton and wholesale demolition has erased most if not all traces of our city's past. Even though the potential for interesting infill exists, unfortunately our city's leaders are often unwilling to accept denser, more modern development. Instead, we wind up with poorly-integrated developments that are usually insulting and cheap imitations of the past. Hopefully, given time and continued investment in the city, we can preserve more of our built environment and demand better quality with new construction.
BTW, if I had the $$$$$ to buy a block or two of city buildings, here's where I'd like to start. This stretch is amazingly intact, and Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church makes for a great neighborhood anchor IMHO.
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I wouldn't mind having at least one of those 1950s cars in the picture either!
