One of the hardest challenges any city faces is what to do when properties are abandoned. St. Louis, like many major cities, is trying to find a good answer to this problem, but it is not an easy task. Property owners are often hard to find and there is never enough money for what always seems to be a costly clean-up. While the city waits on the next steps, these abandoned places in St. Louis are slowly being reclaimed by Mother Nature.
Note: Many of these abandoned places are located on private property and are not open or accessible to the public. Trespassing is a crime and the deteriorated state of these buildings makes them unstable and dangerous. Use your noggin, and do not attempt to enter - explore them vicariously through these photos instead!
Many of these abandoned places become home bases for criminal activities and vandalism.
The redevelopment of school buildings, like the old Carr School, is often a very hard fit.
There are not that many other options that a former school building can be turned into, after all.
Even places of worship are not saved from lack of care and complete abandonment.
What was once affordable apartment housing is now an empty unkempt space.
Deserted locations often become dumping grounds for trash.
Many abandoned buildings in St. Louis are left untouched and are full of items that add to the cleanup cost.
These long-forgotten abandoned places nestled among our communities can create unsafe environments in neighborhoods.
This once-grand theater space on our Illinois side sits weathering to decay.
Sometimes the problem goes beyond money and redefining a space, as was the case with Carter Carburetor Corporation.
This abandoned St. Louis site required special federal intervention once it was declared an EPA Superfund site. Cleanup of hazardous Superfund sites can add years to the renovation process.
An old stately home now sits as an eyesore in its neighborhood.
These properties will eventually just fall apart if left uncared for long enough.
When properties are abandoned, the biggest problem often isn't money - it's time. Every day that a home or business sits untended it becomes a little less usable. Quicker action in choosing whether to save or demolish a structure could help with the unseemly blight caused by deserted properties.
Luckily, not all abandoned buildings in St. Louis have fallen into this state.
Two great examples of saving both St. Louis's history and buildings of high-quality architecture are the Wainwright Building and Union Station (pictured above). Both of these buildings could easily have been lost if not for the time, money, and - most importantly - community support as they were remodeled for a new century.
Take a look at more abandoned areas of St. Louis:
Have you explored any of these abandoned places in St. Louis? Let us know what they were like in the comments. If you haven't yet seen them, book a trip to St. Louis and see them for yourself, with permission and from a safe distance, of course. For a more upbeat side of St. Louis life, check out these photos that highlight the positive changes our city has experienced over the years.
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