Midtown St. Joseph Neighborhood Revitalization Analysis

8/13/2019 Midtown St. Joseph Neighborhood Revitalization Analysis

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Matt Buchanan

UBPL 715

November 7, 2012

Neighborhood Analysis: Midtown St. Joseph, MO

1) Primary and Secondary Source Photographs: Normative Values and Judgments


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Richardsonian Romanesque style. I chose to highlight this illustration because the architect is clearly

emphasizing the McAlisterswealth and class. Rather than feature the houses front entrance, the

architect chose to showcase the back entrance on Felix Street where apparent servants are tending to

multiple horses and carry hay. Additionally, the architect may be trying to emphasize the McAlisters

wealth and status by emphasizing the homes size. Due to the shape of the lot, the house appears much

larger on Felix Street than it does from the front entrance on 19th

Street. Although the home was built

on a smaller scale one year before this sketch was published, one might postulate that the larger, more

elaborate sketch was published deliberately to portray St. Joseph as highly affluent to a national

audience. Another thought is that they are trying to shed St. Joseph of its cowboy and Indian frontier

image by demonstrating that the community is home to a well-to-do civilized society with servants. This

is also a major message in the image below.


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and upper-income homebuyers. Although the Gateway plan has been long-gone dead and buried, the

photograph represents the communitys organized and passionate character which remains today.

Additionally, the photo captures the social struggles and gentrification concerns that are still being

contended with currently.

Rather than choose to photograph one or two picketers for an up-close shot, the photographer opted

for a wider shot and included about a dozen picketers. This decision resulted in an image that stresses

the community backlash. The image also captures what many of the signs read, allowing the reader to

ascertain a fuller understanding of the communitys struggle. Such decisions reveal that the

photographer sympathizes, if not fully supports the picketers and strives to spread their message across

the city.

2) Field GuideWhen studying an aerial map of the Midtown neighborhood, the most apparent characteristic is the pre-

World War II neighborhood design, with small lots, densely laid out on a grid of square blocks. There is

one major deviation from this design, where it appears obvious that a set of four blocks have been

reconfigured to accommodate a relatively newer apartment complex. From my own experience living in

Midtown, I am aware that this complex is a Section-8 multi-family housing complex named the Oakridge

Apartments. The clear distinction from the rest of the neighborhood in structural layout as well as

aesthetic appearance leads me to wonder if the residents of that complex experience the same issues


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lived in a socio-economically homogeneous environment, Midtown seemed completely foreign. Over

the following two and a half years I became more acquainted with the residents of Midtown and

observed a major divide in the two dominant groups of people that live therethe preservationists and

the low-income renters. Nowhere else is this divide more apparent than on the landscape. The level of

home maintenance/upkeep and other clues that reveal pride in home/community are the most

apparent indicators to determining who lives where. These diverging influences that form the landscape

personify the clashing cultures and agendas that exist within the neighborhood and give it its unique

(and arguably schizophrenic) identity.

Someone who walks through Midtown for the first time will be overwhelmed with an array of emotions

ranging from astonishment, concern, anger, confusion, and heartbreak all within the range of a few

short blocks. The abandonment and decay of dozens of architecturally significant homes creates a

greater sense of understanding and appreciation for the tremendous and intense work the

preservationists have done to revitalize parts of the neighborhood. These properties are scattered

throughout the neighborhood, with perhaps the majority located in the Museum Hill neighborhood near

the Wyeth Tootle Museum. Not only are the homes restored, but they clearly convey a sense of

homeowner and community pride through the maintenance and upkeep of their lawns, decorated front

porches, flowers, ornate fencing and statuary, etc. These front yard outdoor spaces appear more than

just attractive, but they look lived-in and well utilized. Such clues reveal the homeowners are proud,

involved community members who are passionate about their neighborhood


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There are quite some serious eye sores that dot Midtowns landscape that further reveal the issues at

stake. The many old vacant houses (both grand and modest in character) generate a sense of despair or

misfortune. These feelings are partly relieved when you see a restored home a block away, however,

widespread improvement has been slow. To the rest of St. Joe, Midtown is not viewed as an up and

coming neighborhood. Instead it is still seen as that forlorn, crime-ridden neighborhood with the

boarded up houses. This sentiment will likely remain until visual reminders of neglect and despair dont

overshadow the visual cues of neighborhood vitality and pride.

4) Neighborhood as a Distinct Place and CommunityPhotos of Midtown as a distinct place:

Slide 1: All photos

Slide 2: Museum Hill MansionSlide 3: Harris Kemper Mansion

Slide 4: Derelict structure

Photos of Midtown as a community:

Slide 1: None

Slide 2: All photos except Museum Hill mansion

Slide 3: All photos except Harris Kemper mansionSlide 4:All photos except derelict structure


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energy into home maintenance or yard clean up. This is the same story with the photo of the multi-

family dwelling on the same slide. The building is architecturally significant, but its owners and/or

tenants do not show the same appreciation for the building as their preservationist neighbors. With

these photos, my personal dissatisfaction residents poor treatment of the neighborhood may be

apparent.

In Slide 3, Im trying to portray the vast distinctions that exist in the built environment. The grand Wyeth

Tootle Mansion (now a museum), is only a few short blocks away from boarded-up shack-like structures

that most wouldnt believe are in the same neighborhood. Also, the Oakridge Apartments, a Section 8

multi-family housing complex, has been constructed to accommodate low-income families. This complex

appears to have been constructed in the 1970s or 1980s, and is therefore vastly different in appearance

than the rest of the neighborhood. Even the configuration of the complex breaks away from the pre-

World War II neighborhood grid structure, to further differentiate the area from the rest of the

community. I borrowed an image from Google Maps in order to show an image of a chained gate in

front of the complex, which illustrates the physical barriers that separate the housing complex from the

neighborhood.

Finally, I included Slide 4 to share images of important landmarks in the neighborhood, as well as the

existence of another Section 8 housing complex. Midtown is home to some of the most magnificent

churches in the region. Like Midtowns mansions, these churches both help and hurt the neighborhoods

image due to the same issues of abandonment and decay. The derelict structure photographed on this

slide was included because it has been identified by the St Joseph Landmark Commission as one of the


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Works Cited

Bothwell, S.E., Gindroz, R., and Lang, R.E.. "Restoring Community through Traditional Neighborhood

Design: A Case Study of Diggs Town Public Housing." Housing Policy Debate 9, 1 (1998)

City of St. Joseph, Missouri. 2008. 2008 St. Josephs Most Endangered Properties List. Accessed

November 4, 2012.http://www.ci.st-joseph.mo.us/planning/Endangered-2008.pdf

St. Joseph Museums, Inc. 2009. Wyeth Tootle Mansion. Accessed November 3, 2012.

http://www.stjosephmuseum.org/wyeth_tootle.htm

St. Joseph News-Press. Hackley, C. June 12, 1987. St. Joseph, MO.

Sketch for Residence of J.W. McAlister. July, 1890.American Architecture and Building News, Volume

759. Saint Joseph, Missouri. St Jo Mo Museum Hill Bed & Breakfast Historical Archives-Pictures from the

Past of St. Joseph MO. Accessed November 3, 2012.

https://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillBedAndBreakfastHistorica

lArchivesPicturesFromThePastOfStJosephMO#5357073576816171186.

Wyeth-Tootle Mansion. Unkown year. St Jo Mo Museum Hill Bed & Breakfast Historical Archives-Pictures

from the past of St. Joseph. St. Joseph, MO. Accessed November 3, 2012.https://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillBedAndBreakfastHistorica

lArchivesPicturesFromThePastOfStJosephMO#5357073680244565906.
http://www.ci.st-joseph.mo.us/planning/Endangered-2008.pdfhttp://www.ci.st-joseph.mo.us/planning/Endangered-2008.pdfhttp://www.ci.st-joseph.mo.us/planning/Endangered-2008.pdfhttp://www.stjosephmuseum.org/wyeth_tootle.htmhttps://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillBedAndBreakfastHistoricalArchivesPicturesFromThePastOfStJosephMO#5357073576816171186https://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillBedAndBreakfastHistoricalArchivesPicturesFromThePastOfStJosephMO#5357073576816171186https://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillBedAndBreakfastHistoricalArchivesPicturesFromThePastOfStJosephMO#5357073680244565906https://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillBedAndBreakfastHistoricalArchivesPicturesFromThePastOfStJosephMO#5357073680244565906https://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillBedAndBreakfastHistoricalArchivesPicturesFromThePastOfStJosephMO#5357073680244565906https://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillBedAndBreakfastHistoricalArchivesPicturesFromThePastOfStJosephMO#5357073680244565906https://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillBedAndBreakfastHistoricalArchivesPicturesFromThePastOfStJosephMO#5357073576816171186https://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillBedAndBreakfastHistoricalArchivesPicturesFromThePastOfStJosephMO#5357073576816171186http://www.stjosephmuseum.org/wyeth_tootle.htmhttp://www.ci.st-joseph.mo.us/planning/Endangered-2008.pdf


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Legend

Neighborhood

Harris Kemper

Midtown Focus Area

Museum Hill

N0 0.15 0.30.075 Miles

Matt Buchanan UBPL 715

Midtown

Thematic MapSt. Joseph, Missouri


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Legend

Neighborhood

Harris Kemper

Midtown Focus Area

Museum Hill

N0 0.15 0.30.075 Miles


Midtown



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Legend

Neighborhood

Harris Kemper

Midtown Focus Area

Museum Hill

N0 0.15 0.30.075 Miles


Midtown



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Legend

Neighborhood

Harris Kemper

Midtown Focus Area

Museum Hill

N0 0.15 0.30.075 Miles


Midtown



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Photo Sources:

Thematic Map/Slide 1

15thand Charles Before. Museum Hill Historic District National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. January 11, 1991. http://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/91000112.pdf. Accessed November 3, 2012.

12thand Sylvanie Before. Museum Hill Historic District National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. January 11, 1991. http://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-

nr/91000112.pdf. Accessed November 3, 2012.

12thand Sylvanie Now. St Jo Mo Museum Hill Bed & Breakfast Historical Archives-Pictures from the Past of St. Joseph MO. Accessed November 3, 2012.https://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillNationalHistoricDistrictStJosephMO#5788504478257740354. Accessed November 3,2012.


11thand Syvlanie Now. St Jo Mo Museum Hill Bed & Breakfast Historical Archives-Pictures from the Past of St. Joseph MO.https://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillNationalHistoricDistrictStJosephMO#5788503942969637490. Accessed November 3,2012.

11thand Syvanie Then. Museum Hill Historic District National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. January 11, 1991. http://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-

nr/91000112.pdf. Accessed November 3, 2012.


Wyeth Tootle Museum. St Jo Mo Museum Hill Bed & Breakfast Historical Archives-Pictures from the Past of St. Joseph MO.https://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillNationalHistoricDistrictStJosephMO#5788504455390561266. Accessed November 3,2012.

Harris Kemper Mansion. St Jo Mo Museum Hill Bed & Breakfast Historical Archives-Pictures from the Past of St. Joseph MO.https://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillNationalHistoricDistrictStJosephMO#5788505058611191138. Accessed November 3,2012.

Oakridge Apartments. Google Maps. April 2008.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=oakridge%20apartments%20st%20joseph%20mo&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=911&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=il. Accessed November 7,2012.

Sheltering Arms Apartments. Google Maps. April 2008. Accessed November 7, 2012.http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1912%20Mulberry%20Street%2C%20St.%20Joseph%2C%20MO&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=911&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=il

Twin Spires. http://www.visitmo.com/things-to-do/sightseeing-tours.aspx. Accessed November 7, 2012.

All photos not cited were taken by me on my field visit to the neighborhood-Matt Buchanan, UBPL 715
http://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/91000112.pdfhttp://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/91000112.pdfhttp://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/91000112.pdfhttp://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/91000112.pdfhttps://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillNationalHistoricDistrictStJosephMOhttps://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillNationalHistoricDistrictStJosephMOhttp://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/91000112.pdfhttp://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/91000112.pdfhttps://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillNationalHistoricDistrictStJosephMOhttps://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillNationalHistoricDistrictStJosephMOhttp://maps.google.com/maps?q=oakridge%20apartments%20st%20joseph%20mo&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=911&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=ilhttp://maps.google.com/maps?q=1912%20Mulberry%20Street,%20St.%20Joseph,%20MO&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=911&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=ilhttp://www.visitmo.com/things-to-do/sightseeing-tours.aspxhttp://www.visitmo.com/things-to-do/sightseeing-tours.aspxhttp://www.visitmo.com/things-to-do/sightseeing-tours.aspxhttp://www.visitmo.com/things-to-do/sightseeing-tours.aspxhttp://www.visitmo.com/things-to-do/sightseeing-tours.aspxhttp://www.visitmo.com/things-to-do/sightseeing-tours.aspxhttp://www.visitmo.com/things-to-do/sightseeing-tours.aspxhttp://www.visitmo.com/things-to-do/sightseeing-tours.aspxhttp://maps.google.com/maps?q=1912%20Mulberry%20Street,%20St.%20Joseph,%20MO&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=911&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=ilhttp://maps.google.com/maps?q=1912%20Mulberry%20Street,%20St.%20Joseph,%20MO&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=911&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=ilhttp://maps.google.com/maps?q=1912%20Mulberry%20Street,%20St.%20Joseph,%20MO&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=911&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=ilhttp://maps.google.com/maps?q=1912%20Mulberry%20Street,%20St.%20Joseph,%20MO&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=911&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=ilhttp://maps.google.com/maps?q=oakridge%20apartments%20st%20joseph%20mo&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=911&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=ilhttp://maps.google.com/maps?q=oakridge%20apartments%20st%20joseph%20mo&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=911&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=ilhttp://maps.google.com/maps?q=oakridge%20apartments%20st%20joseph%20mo&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=911&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=ilhttps://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillNationalHistoricDistrictStJosephMOhttps://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillNationalHistoricDistrictStJosephMOhttp://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/91000112.pdfhttp://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/91000112.pdfhttp://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/91000112.pdfhttps://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillNationalHistoricDistrictStJosephMOhttps://picasaweb.google.com/106806075418621570232/StJoMoMuseumHillNationalHistoricDistrictStJosephMOhttp://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/91000112.pdfhttp://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/91000112.pdfhttp://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/91000112.pdfhttp://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/91000112.pdfhttp://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/91000112.pdfhttp://www.dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/91000112.pdf

Documents

Midtown St. Joseph Neighborhood Revitalization Analysis