"Actual construction of the first apartment building in the Plaza project got underway yesterday as this crane began excavating at Fifteenth and Pine streets. Relocation of a sewer line around the site has been substantially completed by the Fruin-Colnon Contracting Company, which will erect six 13-story apartment buildings in the development."
"Reaching for the Sky: Soaring higher and higher are the six 13-story apartment buildings under construction in the downtown Plaza Redevelopment Project. Steel being hoisted by the crane in this picture will be fitted into upper-floor construction of one of the buildings at Seventeenth and Pine streets. The buildings, which are to be completed simultaneously, according to present construction plans, are due to be ready for occupancy next spring."
"Housing accommodations in the Plaza area are described by City Plan Commission as "far short of the minimum standards required for health, sanitation and decency." This view of the interior of one one of the buildings shows the general dilapidated condition. Seven modern apartment buildings for 1,350 families will be built if the bond issue passes."
"The Plaza Bond Issue Committee, whoich is enlisting the aid of 763 employers in an educational program concerning the $1,500,000 redevelopment issue to be voted on Sept. 29, includes, seated from left, Postmaster Bernard F. Dickmann, E. T. Moberg, Armstrong Chinn, Mrs. Edward M. Harrington, Chairman Aloys P. Kaufmann, Frank M. Mayfield, W. H. Semsrott; standing, Preston Estep, Kenneth H. Bitting, David P. Wohl, Clark Hungerford, Chapin S. Newhard, J. H. Wenhoenoer, A. C. Knetzer, W. J. Kennedy, Irving Shapiro and Joseph D. Harnett."
Elevated view of the Plaza Apartment buildings under construction. The project would become the first urban renewal project to be completed in St. Louis.
"Buildings will be cleared from the area shown in the foreground of this photo as part of the Plaza redevelopment. The Eighteenth Street Garage, at left center, is outside the project area. This view, from the tower of Union Station, looks notheastwardly from the intersection of Eighteenth and Market streets. At extreme left is the edge of Aloe Plaza. All of the buildings in the area to the east, bounded roughly by Eighteenth, Market, Fourteenth and Olive, will be cleared away to make a connecting parkway with Memorial Plaza and a housing development. Demolition work will begin Apr. 19."
Caption on back: "Filling in unsightly holes in the Plaza redevelopment area gets underway as the basement of the Reed Hotel, which was demolished when the area was cleared, is buried under dirt excavated at sites of three apartment buildings going up in the area. The site and Fifteenth and Pine streets will ultimately be improved with commercial buildings and a parking lot for Plaza residents. All of the eyesore holes in the Plaza area will be eliminated as quickly as possible."
"Plaza development gets under way at Fifteenth and Pine Streets where test borings are being made prior to construction of a three-story rectory by St. John's Catholic Church and the laying of a sewer line by the Urban Redevelopment Corporation. The block, which extends to Sixteeth and Chestnut streets, has been selected for the first building in the 1090-unit Plaza apartment project. It will be 13 stories with 208 apartments."
Caption on back: "Sign of the times: The MOVED sign on the Model Hotel and Auditorium Bar means that the building and some 86 others in the area are about to be razed in St. Louis's latest slum-clearance project."
Caption on back: "Before and after: If the $1,500,000 Plaza bond issue is approved by the voters at the special elections Sept. 29. Photo at top shows area as it is today, looking west across Memorial Plaza. Funds from the bond issue would be used to turn section outlined in left background into a parkway connecting the Memorial at Aloe Plaza. If the bonds are approved, then work can go ahead, under the federal urban redevelopment act, on the clearing of the slum areas in the sections outlined at right. Picture below shows artist's conception of how these sections will look after the Urban Redevelopment Corporation of St. Louis has erected housing units for 1350 middle-income families."
"Fourteen old coins in the Plaza area demolition were found by Jay Sirolos, 4622A Pope ave., superintendent of salvage operations for Prock & Ehinger Construction Co. Some of the coins, found in wreckage at 1719 Market st., dated back to 1827."
Elevated view of the Plaza Apartment buildings under construction. The project would become the first urban renewal project to be completed in St. Louis.
Three original captions: "Dust an bricks fly as Mayor Tucker mans the controls to swing a 4700-pound metal ball against the two-story brick building at 1627 Chestnut st., to begin demolition in the Plaza ara which is to be redeveloped. The building was marked as the first structure to be razed. The beginning of the project climaxes almost five years of planning and negotiating. Mr. Tucker called the ceremony the most important he had participated in since becoming mayor." "Dust an bricks flew when Mayor Tucker manned the controls to swing a 4700-pound metal ball against a two-story building at 1627 Chestnut st., to begin demolition for redevelopment of the Plaza area. This scene was photographed Apr. 19." "Mayor Tucker guides the iron ball from crane to strike the first blow at building at 1627 Chestnut St. to begin the Plaza urban redevelopment project."
Caption on back: "Debris piles up along the 1500 block of Pine street following the collapse of a portion of a building being demolished to make way for the Plaza housing project. No one was hurt, but one woman fell while scampering to safety."
Caption on back: "Market is a street of contrasts. The Milles Fountain adjoins Market's "Wild West" area of pawnshops, taverns, cut-rate hotels soon to be demolished.
Elevated view of the Plaza Apartments buildings under construction. The project would become the first urban renewal project to be completed in St. Louis.
"Demolition of Plaza area buildings was well underway yesterday just a week after Mayor Tucker participated in demolition of the first building in the area whil will become a private housing project and a public park. The clearance program involves about eight blocks. The area is shown from teh roof of the EIghteenth Street garage, looking across Seventeenth street to the east. Chestnut street is at left."
