NEIGHBORHOOD gardens
The Neighborhood Gardens project was derived from J.A. Wolf’s (the executive director of St. Louis’s Neighborhood Association Settlement House) trip to Europe. Specifically, German and Austria housing infrastructure fascinated him. In 1933, Wolf and his Association formed Neighborhood Gardens, Inc. The project came before the federal government established a public housing program. [2]
The Neighborhood Gardens infrastructure was designed based on a “streamlined moderne” look. The completion of the project provided a “low-rent residential block”—the first of many to come. Despite its’ racially diverse surroundings, the Neighborhood Gardens, during its beginning, was restricted to white occupants. Between the 1950s and 1960s, however, civil rights movements successfully desegregated the Neighborhood Gardens. White households moved out as African American households moved in. The massive increase in low-income families stunt the economic growth of the Neighborhood Gardens—leading the Gardens to vacancy by 1990. Given its unique design and social history, the Landmarks Association of St. Louis attempted to save the buildings by nominating it to the list of National Register of Historic Places. [2]
The Neighborhood Gardens infrastructure was designed based on a “streamlined moderne” look. The completion of the project provided a “low-rent residential block”—the first of many to come. Despite its’ racially diverse surroundings, the Neighborhood Gardens, during its beginning, was restricted to white occupants. Between the 1950s and 1960s, however, civil rights movements successfully desegregated the Neighborhood Gardens. White households moved out as African American households moved in. The massive increase in low-income families stunt the economic growth of the Neighborhood Gardens—leading the Gardens to vacancy by 1990. Given its unique design and social history, the Landmarks Association of St. Louis attempted to save the buildings by nominating it to the list of National Register of Historic Places. [2]
References:
1. Groth, Mark. "St. Louis City Talk.” Columbus Square Neighborhood. Blogger, 15 Mar. 2010. Web. 1 Sept. 2014. <http://www.stlouiscitytalk.com/2010/03/columbus-square-neighborhood.html>.
2. Heatheott, Joseph. "Score One for Modernism." Score One for Modernism (2006): 2. Web. 28 Aug. 2014.