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St. Louis’ Dr Martin Luther King Drive

January 15, 2018 Featured, MLK Jr. Drive No Comments

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 building
2018: became occupied again last year. It still lacks a pedestrian access route from the pub lic sidewalk
2016 — work underway on the Electrical Workers Historical Society — aka the Henry Miller Museum
2017
2018 — I still haven’t visited the museum….hours are by appointment only. Click image for info
2012
2018 — more of the back section has fallen away
The old configuration of MLK Dr & Page. Source Google
Driving WB it is largely unchanged
But driving EB on MLK traffic turns toward a signal with Page
This happened in 2016 or 2017…not sure which
Last year a sign was posted about Vandeventer Place, a senior community, to be built
MLK @ Pendleton
The entrance is off the less busy Pendleton, it includes an accessible route for pedestrians next ro the circle drive
Across Pendleton is a file and then an older strip shopping center
Like 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 vacant
2018 — storefromt now occupied by a 2nd location of MC Appliances. Click image to view their website
2014: The Family Dollar store #1562 at 4949 Dr. Martin Luther King closed
2018 reopened as a Dollar General
2013…just West of Union
2017
2018 — pile unchanged
Building across MLK had a recent fire. Hopefully it’ll get rehabbed this year.
2017 — for several years this burned building remained at Stewart Pl @ MLK
2018 — it was razed, not rehabbed
2017 Signs announcing a bank coming to MLK
2018 — the bank is now open…but it lacks a pedestrian access route
2018 auto drive-thru
Building 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.

— Steve Patterson

 

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