This Italianate Row house in Old North St. Louis was built between about 1870 and 1875 along with an identical neighbor, at the corner of Blair and Monroe Street. A unique feature seen on these houses is the curved limestone lintels above the windows, which was a feature that was seen often in North St. Louis, but very rarely in South St. Louis. The most likely reason is that limestone was more readily available in North St. Louis, as there were quarries nearby, with a notable location being at the current site of Windsor Park in the Hyde Park Neighborhood. When these rows were built, Old North was among the most densely populated neighborhoods in the city, and these buildings were built to address the need for more housing. Each one has living space for six families, allowing for the area to maintain its high population density. As white flight and suburban flight resulted in the neighborhood’s decline in the mid to late 20th century, these buildings fell into a severe state of disrepair. By the early 2000s, the roofs had caved in, and the future of the buildings was uncertain. However, the neighborhood was being revitalized around this time, and the row houses were given a full restoration in 2005, which gave both buildings new life. Today, the buildings are occupied again, as the neighborhood population is rebounding.
