While Habitat for Humanity’s 2010 and 2011 builds in the JeffVanderLou neighborhood (JVL) are not necessarily “new” in the strictest sense, it is worth revisiting just how much has changed in this struggling neighborhood.
Habitat for Humanity’s builds in the neighborhood have been centered on the intersection of Thomas and Garrison, but the homes they constructed span several blocks. What is perhaps most interesting is that their earlier builds brought rows of Craftsman-style homes but their 2011 build introduced the Old North St. Louis model alongside both the Craftsmans and the remaining historic homes left on this set of blocks (Old North example here, on the 1900 block of Sullivan).
Below is a Google Streetview capture of the 2900 block of Thomas. The western portion of the block contains several of the Old North model, while the east end has the Craftsman model.
Just one block to the north, the styles sit side-by-side (2900 block of Sheridan):
In 2006, these blocks were largely comprised of vacant lots. Below is an aerial from 2006:
By 2012, Habitat for Humanity had filled in most of these lots.
For more coverage of Habitat for Humanity’s work in St. Louis, please follow the tag below.
