Northside ward seeing major developments, new businesses
By DEINSE HILL
St. Louis Argus Contributor
NORTH ST. LOUIS - Things are practically "booming" in the third ward. That's the message the ward's alderman wants to tell everyone who will listen these days.
Alderman Freeman Bosley, Sr. (D-3rd Ward) wants those who moved out of St. Louis City over the past three decades?and those that moved out of the 3rd Ward, in particular?to return, just as businesses have begun to, and help stabilize these once-bustling neighborhoods.
The veteran alderman, who is currently in a contest for re-election against Democrat Jeffrey Hardin, says that a hundred new homes are currently being built in his ward. And, he adds, they are being built and developed mostly by African American contractors and developers.
The project, being built on Angelrodt St. and Blair Ave, includes three-bedroom, single-family, free-standing homes, which carry pricetags starting at $139,000.
"We want to attract the people who want to live in one of the most strategically located areas of the city," said Bosley. "The 3rd Ward is four minutes from anywhere. You can get on the highway and go anywhere in the city. We're 15 minutes from the airport, five minutes from the city, seven minutes from the riverfront, and six minutes from the downtown shopping area."
Better Living Community is building 60 of the homes. The Minority Contractors Builders Association is building another 68. The North Park Redevelopment Corporation is building 100 homes. And Lox Building Group is building 50 more homes, Bosley said.
Bosley also said that plans are underway for a first-class black-owned hotel and an International House of Pancakes restaurant.
"We're working on the designs now. We expect to have groundbreaking in May or June," he said.
Bosley has become a champion of city living. He points to the many attractions and the rich history.
"We have football, baseball, the Science Museum, the Museum of Natural History and Science, the Dwight Davis Tennis Courts. One hundred and twenty-four parks are located in St. Louis City," said Bosley. "And many of the wagon expeditions to the west started at the base of the Arch."
"Now is the time for the people to move back to the city and into the third ward to stabilize the community. All kinds of good things are going on here. We're rehabbing some homes, and building lots more homes. And for the first time ever in the 3rd Ward, we have three sit down restaurants," Bosley said.
At Miss Betty's, a new soul food restaurant, customers can get home-cooked meals that are ?as good or better than that they get at home," Bosley said. Miss Betty's is located on 21st Street and Bremen Avenue.
On 18th and Angelrodt Sts., customers at Ching Ching's can munch on their favorite sandwiches. Located in a building that many people once considered an eyesore, customers can now have fish, hamburgers and just about any kind of hot dog they can imagine.
"Eventually, the owner plans to have every kind of hot dog that was ever available at his restaurant. They even have bratwursts," said Bosley.
He said that people once called him asking for the building to be torn down. But, "Instead of an eyesore, the new owner saw an opportunity," said Bosley.
And at C.W's, located at 26th and Brady Sts., customers can expect to get more mouth-watering soul food?and soon, thanks to a recently approved liquor license, they'll be able to have something to wash all that good food down with.
"C.W.'s just got approved for a liquor license. Everything, food and drink, must be consumed on the premise. And, he's building a parking lot for his customers to park their cars, said Bosley. "Right now, as he tries to grow the business, he is only open Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Bosley says that what he envisions for his ward, which had long been considered one of the worst-off in the city, is a busy hotspot as exists in other parts of the city.
"We're creating a restaurant district like that one on The Hill (in south St. Louis)," said Bosley.
"We're trying to have 10-15 sit-down restaurants in here so people can have a nice place to come out and eat. Each one does something different. Customers can enjoy their favorite salad, chicken, fish, and home-style cooking," Bosley said.
With all the rebuilding going on in his ward, Bosley has a few thoughts on just how the area got into the shape it is today.
"Highways helped to destroy the city's tax base," Bosley said.
He said that by 1978, 36,000 homes were destroyed, along with 10 churches, 16 businesses and six schools, to build Highways 44, 55, and 70.
"Many people had the feeling that when African-Americans moved into the neighborhoods, they destroyed them, but nothing is farther from the truth. The highways made it easy for people to travel to the county and they purchased homes there," Bosley said.
When people moved to the outer areas, Bosley said, they didn't know that the cost of gas and energy would be as high as they are today. Or that getting back and forth to their jobs in the city would become so difficult thanks to all the traffic.
All the more reason to move back, he says.
"The city has so much to offer and the third ward certainly has a lot going on. We want to see as many people as we can enjoying what it has to offer."
