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| St. Louis Preservation Board | |
|---|---|
| Name | St. Louis Preservation Board |
| Formation | 1970s |
| Type | Municipal commission |
| Headquarters | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Region served | St. Louis County, City of St. Louis |
| Leader title | Chair |
| Parent organization | City of St. Louis |
St. Louis Preservation Board is a municipal commission responsible for identifying, designating, and protecting historic landmarks and districts within St. Louis municipal boundaries. The board interfaces with local elected officials, state agencies, federal programs, and community stakeholders to apply preservation standards to built heritage including commercial, residential, industrial, and civic properties. It operates amid interactions with municipal departments, nonprofit partners, judicial review, and national preservation frameworks.
The origins of the board trace to preservation movements responding to postwar urban renewal projects such as activities affecting the Delmar Loop, Soulard, and the Washington Avenue Historic District. Early influences included advocacy by groups like the Preservation Research Office, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and civic leaders associated with Mayor William S. Crow and later administrations such as Mayor Vincent C. Schoemehl Jr. and Mayor Francis G. Slay. Landmark events that shaped practice included the demolition controversies surrounding sites near Eads Bridge, debates over redevelopment proximate to Gateway Arch National Park, and municipal initiatives tied to federal programs such as the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and incentives like the federal historic tax credits. The board's evolution intersected with urban planning projects by the Missouri Botanical Garden expansion, transit decisions by East-West Gateway, and higher-education expansions involving Washington University in St. Louis and Saint Louis University.
Statutory authority derives from ordinances adopted by the Board of Aldermen under powers granted through state enabling legislation connected to the Missouri Constitution and precedents influenced by cases like Penn Central Transportation Co. v. New York City and interpretations of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. The board's formal responsibilities align with the City Register, the Planning and Urban Design Commission, and the Building Division (St. Louis) for permits and certificates. Organizationally the body consists of appointed commissioners confirmed by the Mayor of St. Louis and subject to oversight from municipal counsel and the St. Louis Circuit Court in adjudications. The board issues decisions that interact with programs administered by the Missouri SHPO, the National Park Service, and grant structures from agencies such as the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Core activities include designation of historic districts, landmark nomination reviews, issuance of Certificates of Appropriateness, and regulatory oversight affecting properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The board administers rehabilitation guidelines referencing the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and collaborates with tax-credit administrators tied to the Internal Revenue Service and state departments like the Missouri Department of Economic Development. Conservation projects involve coordination with preservation architects trained at institutions such as Sam Fox School, documentation practices used by the Historic American Buildings Survey, and technical assistance from organizations like the Historic Preservation Training Center. Programmatic partnerships include grant cycles with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, adaptive reuse projects with developers who have worked on properties near Laclede's Landing, and heritage tourism initiatives in concert with Explore St. Louis and the Missouri Historical Society.
The board has overseen cases and designations affecting a range of properties including the Beaux-Arts and Second Empire examples in neighborhoods such as Compton Heights, the industrial complexes near The Hill and the historic storefronts along Delmar Boulevard, as well as civic landmarks associated with City Hall (St. Louis), Scott Joplin House, and buildings proximate to Union Station (St. Louis). Designated districts include portions of JeffVanderLou, Central West End, CWE, Old North St. Louis, and corridors adjacent to Lindell Boulevard. The board's decisions have affected cultural institutions like Fox Theatre, Moolah Temple, and warehouses converted into lofts along the Washington Avenue Historic District. Industrial heritage such as sites near Granite City Steel and riverfront complexes along the Mississippi River have also been subjects of review.
The board's work has prompted litigation and controversy involving preservation advocates, property owners, developers, and elected officials. High-profile disputes have arisen over demolition permits near Gateway Mall, adaptive reuse proposals involving Union Station, and alterations proposed for landmarks connected to African American cultural sites such as those in The Ville. Legal challenges have invoked constitutional issues informed by cases like Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council on regulatory takings and local interpretations influenced by decisions from the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Contentious matters have involved competing interests represented by entities such as the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council, preservation nonprofits, neighborhood associations, and private developers working with capital partners from institutions like PNC Financial Services and Wells Fargo.
Engagement strategies include public hearings before the Board of Aldermen, outreach programs with neighborhood groups such as the Old North St. Louis Restoration Group, collaborations with educational partners including Saint Louis University Law School, preservation training with the University of Missouri–St. Louis, and volunteer initiatives coordinated with the Missouri History Museum. Partnerships with philanthropic organizations like the St. Louis Community Foundation, arts organizations including the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and business improvement districts such as Loop Special Business District support heritage-led development. The board also coordinates with transit agencies like MetroLink for projects affecting historic corridors and with federal agencies such as the General Services Administration when properties intersect with federally owned assets.
Category:Government of St. Louis, Missouri