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Garden District Commission

DeSales has historically served the Tower Grove East and Fox Park neighborhoods. In 2006 however, the housing corporation branched out to take on management of another neighborhood revitalization project.

In the fall of 2005, DeSales was approached by leadership of the Garden District Commission (GDC) to manage that non-profit’s program. The GDC was founded in 1997 to promote revitalization in the Shaw, Southwest Garden, Tiffany and Botanical Heights (formerly McRee Town) neighborhoods. At the time the GDC approached DeSales, the GDC’s long-time executive director had recently left to take another job and the GDC needed specialized expertise to sustain its considerable redevelopment activities.

The GDC’s most ambitious undertaking has been the implementation of the McRee Town Redevelopment Plan. The Plan, which was adopted by the City of St. Louis in 2001, encompasses 15 square blocks north of Interstate 44 between 39th Street and Vandeventer.  The plan calls for the redevelopment activity to be completed in three phases:

• Phase I (East of Thurman Avenue): Involves the acquisition, demolition and redevelopment of all parcels on the 3900 and 4000 blocks of Lafayette, McRee, Blaine, and Folsom. The majority of the buildings on these blocks suffered significant deterioration and abandonment over the years.

• Phase II (West of Thurman Avenue to Tower Grove Ave): Involves the preservation of owner-occupied housing. Also includes the acquisition, demolition, and redevelopment of select properties.

• Phase III (West of Tower Grove Ave to Vandeventer): Involves the preservation of owner-occupied housing, as well as the acquisition, demolition and redevelopment of select residential AND commercial space.

When DeSales assumed operation of the GDC in late 2005, the first Phase of the redevelopment project was near completion.  DeSales’ initial task was to complete the work necessary to convey the rest of the land to the new home developer.
Since the completion of Phase I of the redevelopment project, DeSales has been heavily involved in  the second phase of the project. Tasks include acquisition assistance, organizational planning and city department interface.