Another Side of Collinsville (some new but all improved)

shimmy · PostDec 10, 2007#12007-12-10T20:06+00:00

I've been meaning to make a photo thread of my hometown of Collinsville for some time now, but I never got around to it. Yesterday evening I decided to go out and start it, and school being called off today gave me the oppertunity to finish it. I know now when people think of Collinsville they think of the giant wal-mart and soccer and sprawl, so I wanted to show the other, often forgotten part of Collinsville. I focused mainly on the downtown core and the surrounding areas. I'm no Xing, Jive, or Arch City so the quality isn't always the best (hey, I'm learning), but I wanted to show another side of Collinsville...

Alex Ihnen · PostDec 10, 2007#22007-12-10T20:11+00:00

Very cool. Thanks. I don't see any reason that this couldn't be a great, middle class community again. Hopefully with the expansion of the Metro East places like this will be reinvigorated and become more like Webster Groves/Kirkwood/etc. and not be passed by for sprawling cul de sacs and subdivisions.

diesel · PostDec 10, 2007#32007-12-10T20:41+00:00

Kudos Shimmy =D> , I am really glad you posted these. I played soccer with a team in Collinsville for many years. I really enjoy the city and all it has to offer. I am excited that the city leaders are promoting downtown revitalization and can't wait to see the outcome.

zas · PostDec 10, 2007#42007-12-10T22:01+00:00

Thanks for the pics... I grew up in Collinsville... my family still lives in Morrison.

It's nice to have these pics available on this forum if I ever need them.

Thanks so much.

little egyptian · PostDec 10, 2007#52007-12-10T23:23+00:00

Nice work Simmy. I especially like the pictures of the alleyways. You can learn a lot about a city from its alleys.

I like the idea Grover of Collinsville someday being like Webster Groves. That is something cool to think about and I hope it happens. Collinsville will always have its own identity though. It is not going to be subsumed into suburbia anytime soon.

southsidepride · PostDec 10, 2007#62007-12-10T23:40+00:00

great pics! Looks like I need to explore Collinsville one of these days if it ever stops raining.

I would say C-ville reminds me most of the older part of St. Charles. Not Main St. More like the Frenchtown and midtown parts. Too bad St. Charles shares the same name as the county that has so much sprawl. The city itself actually has some character.

threeonefour · PostDec 12, 2007#72007-12-12T04:19+00:00

southsidepride- I agree about St. Charles. It's a wonderful community that gets an unfair rap since it shares its name with the megasprawlhell to the west.

Shimmy- Thanks for posting these photos of your hometown. I'd love to be a developer or planner and get to be a part of the revitalization in downtown Collinsville, as I've always thought it has a great deal of potential.

b.a. · PostDec 12, 2007#82007-12-12T14:37+00:00

Thank you for sharing pics of the Bermuda Triangle on East Main and a couple of the many vacant store-fronts on Main Street.

I think Schreiber's finally closed w/in the past year.

There are some great buildings down-town that need to be redone w/ living space on the upper floors - a few have had second-floor apartments in them for years. And sadly there are one or two that need to be torn down, like the old Gliks/Isle of U building w/ the boarded up store-front.

shimmy · PostDec 12, 2007#92007-12-12T23:36+00:00

B.A. wrote:Thank you for sharing pics of the Bermuda Triangle on East Main and a couple of the many vacant store-fronts on Main Street.

I think Schreiber's finally closed w/in the past year.

There are some great buildings down-town that need to be redone w/ living space on the upper floors - a few have had second-floor apartments in them for years. And sadly there are one or two that need to be torn down, like the old Gliks/Isle of U building w/ the boarded up store-front.

Well, that's mainly what downtown is nowadays. I saw that Schreiber's was closed, I didn't know that it went out of business, though it doesn't surprise me. Also, many(or at least a few) of the buildings do have apartments above. I remember when one of my friends live in one it was just a room. I suck at estimating but I'll say...18x10? Also, I know that a lot of them are rough. Like the ones above Dollar General(which I meant to take a picture of) I know are rough and drug infested.

Thanks for the compliments everyone.

b.a. · PostDec 13, 2007#102007-12-13T17:10+00:00

Shimmy wrote:Well, that's mainly what downtown is nowadays. I saw that Schreiber's was closed, I didn't know that it went out of business, though it doesn't surprise me. Also, many(or at least a few) of the buildings do have apartments above. I remember when one of my friends live in one it was just a room. I suck at estimating but I'll say...18x10? Also, I know that a lot of them are rough. Like the ones above Dollar General(which I meant to take a picture of) I know are rough and drug infested.

Thanks for the compliments everyone.

Downtown really is an embarassment - it will be a miracle if they can turn the tide over the next five to ten years. But I won't hold my breath.

I believe Schreiber's closed because the old couple that had run it for eons finally decided to call it quits and retire.

Agreed on the existing apartments - the two I have been in were nothing to write home about. Although, the possibilities w/ the spaces were endless.

Remember when Dollar General was JJ Newberry's? I always liked their sign.

steve · PostDec 13, 2007#112007-12-13T20:53+00:00

Cool pics, thanks for the tour!

xing · PostDec 14, 2007#122007-12-14T04:17+00:00

These amazing Shimmy. I love the grunge feeling.

Alex Ihnen · PostDec 14, 2007#132007-12-14T18:15+00:00

^ Good call - I expected to see 1985 Bruce Springsteen shuffling down an alley in one of the pics.