Top 10 Abandoned Places of St. Louis, Missouri

[@Dom-zk1sg]

St Liborious was renovated into a skatepark. It caught fire, the ownership is currently cleaning up to reopen the facility. Carr school still sits abandon with no plans. It is owned by the city LCRA. The Railway Exchange building is in receivership. Plans are to turn it into a mixed use apartment, and commercial building. It is the second largest building by footprint in Missouri. The Orpheum Theater is a functional space. Ownership has said in the past they do not plan to open it any time soon. Its a real shame. The Cotton Belt Freight Depot is entirely abandoned and the home to a massive homeless encampment at this time. There are no plans to renovate it at this time. As shown in this video it generates a lot of emergency calls., Cleveland High School was purchased by a private developer. Last year the city argued about tax credits. Its planned to be turned into apartments, a public food court and gym, and community center. The Chemical Building was also purchased out of receivership. No public updates have been available since last year on its status but it also is planned to repoen as apartments and commercial space. The old Municipal Courts building still owned by the city sits next to city hall. They have floated sale of the building but there are no current plans for the beautiful structure. Scullin School is owned by SLPS. It is for sale. St. Augustine was irreparably damaged by fire several times. It is slated for demolition by the building division.

[@artofexp]

Thanks for the detailed information. St. Augustine was being demolished while this was filmed. I had the same fear might happen with St. Liborious so included in the video. Glad to hear it will be turned into open air skatepark?

[@chrishornbostel9831]

@@artofexp Yeah, St. Augustine was finally fully demolished in July of 2024. Just too damaged by the last fire there to save, sadly.

[@patrickcochrun6828]

My sister was married in the Orpheum theatre, such a shame, it really is a beautiful building.

[@mikebrzostowski8183]

Club Imperial were Ike and Tina Turner started their career is now abandoned and a mess. I truly wish so many of these old buildings be restored. Even the row houses have exquisite brick work!​@@patrickcochrun6828

[@jameson6537]

Thanks for the breakdown of all these spots, St. Louis has a lot of beautiful and historic architecture. Even in their abandoned forms they’re still interesting to look at and discover

[@mdmarko]

When I was a kid in the 60s and 70s it was a real treat to go to St. Louis. Place was flourishing. At one time about 800,000 people lived in this once-great city. Now less than 300,000 call this worn-out place home. Just a crying shame what has happened to St. Louis.

[@jamie49868]

Back in the day all roads led to downtown. Now, all the roads lead out.

[@Blak.Stone_Kam]

Born and raised in st louis since 2004, I wish I could see it back then now all I hear are gunshots and deaths on tv people leaving even.

[@alexostrem]

Suburbs are nice. Downtown slowly coming back

[@MikeyParks]

Human locusts.

[@mzondi1970]

I was born there and 1970 in the now gone City hospital it was a great place to grow up kids could play out on the street translate is your parents would let them all the little cool shops and stuff down on Cherokee Street it was just a whole different vibe I graduated from soldan high school​@@Blak.Stone_Kam

[@Dolores5000]

Dang the architecture of antiquity is pure art itself

[@dingus6317]

It really inspired unlike the soulless glass cubes of today

[@General_Ward]

Not to the peoperty owners/buyers. Otherwise they would sell lol

[@ebybeehoney]

Antiquity would mean built by the Greeks or Romans.

[@trishc135]

What great architecture! Such a shame it is not being preserved.

[@justinzeid212]

St. Louis actually has a lot that we have been able to preserve. As one architectural historian I know stated, we still have twice as much (historic architecture) left as many other major cities.

[@artofexp]

@@justinzeid212the city museum has some cool architectural pieces too

[@justinzeid212]

@@artofexp We also have an organization right across the river called the National Building Arts Center that has a huge collection of salvaged material. I believe someone from the NBAC actually helped salvage the stained glass out of St. Augustine.

[@joeyweaver7421]

Thank you for sharing the awesome photography! It's heartbreaking to see these amazing old building just sitting vacant.

[@EmporerPalpatine_13]

0:16 St. Liborius 0:56 Carr School 1:36 Railway Exchange Building 2:17 Opreheum Theatre 2:53 Cotton Belt Freight Depot 3:32 Cleaveland High School 4:12 Chemical Building 4:52 Municipal Courts Building 5:32 Scullin School 6:12 St. Augustine

[@anitarogers4146]

No accountability to land owners

[@danogle7433]

Just got back from Stl last night. There for the ELL concert. Walked around for three days. Still a lot of old buildings in use.Great Detailed Architecture.

[@artofexp]

Thanks for sharing

[@fewsaid]

Sad to see St. Augustine getting demolished, was such a beautiful church

[@RinAsami1]

The architecture of these structures is stunning. It's so sad they're being left to decay and rot.

[@dawncook6717]

I just moved outta St Louis a little over a year ago, didn't realize they closed Cleveland high school. Such a shame that so much history and architecture is not being preserved

[@mtlbstrd]

Yea, they moved the JROTC that had been there (previously in Kennard grade school bldg.) and moved it to the former Southwest High (my Alma mater)

[@NateCKennedy]

St. Liborious was not abandoned. It was a thriving skate park destroyed by arson last year.

[@crucialxtaunt]

😂

[@tom_hagen1972]

I'm from Germany, and my city was almost entirely destroyed during ww2. After the war, real estate sharks and investors made a lot of money by tearing down the remaining buildings, and all the old structures were replaced with soulless modernist architecture, parking lots and a car-centric infrastructure. No serious attempts of preserving or rebuilding hundreds of years of architectural history and culture. Watching this gives me the same feeling I get when watching pre-war footage of my city. Why are we sucking the heritage and life out of our cities like this? I will never understand this. These buildings stand for so much optimism and pride of a great era. No wonder people are getting more and more miserable. I hope the city of St. Louis does smth about this.

[@charlesaustin566]

Unfortunately the city is looking at possibly demolishing the Wainwright building which is one of the world's first "skyscrapers". Its not very tall but it was certainly back then.. the architecture is amazing. Its truly a beautiful building but for some reason no one cares.. I told myself that if they tear is down I am moving and never coming back.

[@tom_hagen1972]

@@charlesaustin566 This should be illegal, and I can understand this sentiment. -,-

[@taurusmt5]

It’s a shame what they did to the Germans during WW2. Beautiful country with great people torn to shreds over evil. money and control.

[@tomfields3682]

Dresden?

[@tom_hagen1972]

@@tomfields3682 It’s Cologne. The Dresden bombing is only well known around the world, because it started so late in the war and was considered very unnecessary and brutal, due to the many refugees in the city. Cologne was in close reach for the RAF and USAF, so it was gradually destroyed from 1942 on. The city was almost entirely gone by the end of the war and they even thought about rebuilding it somewhere else. The Dresdeners are actually rebuilding parts of their old city center at the moment, which I think Cologne should do too. It’s a very cool project, but also quite controversial.

[@garryferrington811]

This is devastatingly sad. You can see what a great place this was.

[@dustinmoritz6634]

Thank the Mayor's and politics

[@Legally_Bomb]

Beautiful memories. I hate to see so many buildings in disrepair but certain parts of the city including downtown look amazing after decades of redevelopment.

[@pigoff123]

So so sad to see the buildings in this shape.

[@sthpac6910]

What a wonderful video. I live in this area and was riding around the neighborhood as I've done for a long time. I do believe I saw you and your drone on Hebert at the St Augustine's location, and here I am looking at your production. I wonder what became of the person sitting high atop the Railway Exchange buildings atrium?

[@artofexp]

Very cool. I was glad to be able to film during demolition while most of the church was still standing.

[@lauram2398]

My mom was a Cleveland H.S. graduate; it was nicknamed “The Castle”. ❤

[@sm65-wj2bc]

My dad graduated from there, I have never seen it

[@michaeltalley5151]

Would have loved to see you incorporate some historic photographs of what these places looked like!

[@artofexp]

Unfortunately not practical for this style of video but if you view my exploration videos I include historical photos and facts as best as I can.

[@Gatecheverywhere]

Real nice, Clark.

[@ginnykilpatrick]

I grew up in Iowa and remember traveling with my dad to St Louis in the 70s-80s, for business reasons. We moved out west in the late 80s and I have not been back to the heartland since. It is sad to see this is what St Louis looks like now. Especially the churches. 💔

[@nectarineuroticism]

I looked this up after leaving Cherokee Street area one day. There was a whole abandoned hospital and school within one street of each other. The economic disparities in my hometown is so sad; redlining is awful. I'm trying to find out what those buildings were that my roomie and I saw (halfway through the video, so we will see if i recognize the ones we found lol).

[@Powertuber1000]

So-called red lining is just a means of survival, which is a human instinct.

[@Powertuber1000]

R-lining is a human survival instinct.

[@seanian8986]

The Exorcist hospital?

[@jimcady9309]

@@Powertuber1000 why don't you go back under your rock?

[@kikiki4592]

You must of been on Jefferson and Broadway. The old school I think may have been called Carnahan, they turned it into apartments. Not sure if they are still used, I left in 1996, the hostpial could of been Alexian Brothers or Lutheran Hospital, both are within the a couple blocks of each other.

[@tvfth]

Wonderful footage! What kind of drone do you use?

[@artofexp]

I started out filming on DJI MINI 2 but crashed it after filming Carr School and Railway Exchange. Ended up buying a MINI 4 PRO to finish the video lol.

[@ConnieAnderson-p8o]

Soooo sad to see these amazing buildings empty and abandoned

[@artofexp]

I’m hopeful that some of them can be saved and repurposed. The City of St. Louis acquired the Railway Exchange Building recently from the owner who was neglecting the safety and security of the property.

[@lisajames8653]

I love St Louis and live just across the River. ❤

[@NateFaulkner-o7i]

St. Louis is a Beautiful city

[@Shaolinmonk781]

The guy sitting at the edge of the building like that is really taking a big risk with his life.

[@artofexp]

He’s crazy that’s for sure. He didn’t jump or fall because the next day I returned and he was gone.

[@dianewulkopf7535]

wish we could salvage the occupations from Cleveland HS. they are beautiful.

[@artofexp]

I’m hoping they go to the St. Louis City Museum someday.. they have all kinds of architectural treasures from not only St. Louis but the entire country. If you are ever in the STL area check it out!

[@StLProgressive]

I was so sad when the Orpheum Theater closed. We saw so many concerts there in the 90’s. 😢

[@artofexp]

Thankfully the building is still in great shape and appears could be reopened with little effort.

[@williamgambell7605]

my grandma graduated from Cleveland High School so sad looks so beautiful too.

[@rickwalter8032]

The Orpheum theater is so beautiful. Please save it.

[@kikiki4592]

Last time I seen anything there, it was a Tool and Pantera concert and it was still the American Theater at that time. It was still in great shape and the sound was amazing. We used to go there as kids with our school (Tower Grove Christian) and see plays and other stuff of the like.

[@johnoden2857]

Beautiful old abandoned buildings conceivably built to last centuries -- replaced by parking lots. Wow!! what a county.

[@artofexp]

I know, right?

[@dray439]

I used to work in the old power plant that's in the opening shot. That building has a lot of history. It used to supply steam, through the underground loop, to several St. Louis buildings. I don't know if they're operating or not.

[@GassersGhost]

My dad graduated from Cleveland HS in 66. I grew up knowing how awesome that place was. I'm not going to mention the tunnel under the football field. Oops.🙄 Great video. The pace and editing were perfect. 🔥 Come back and focus on some of the things we managed to take care of. 😉

[@artofexp]

Thanks for the info! Wonder if it’s caved in…

[@GassersGhost]

@@artofexp not in the last 6 months. Or so I'm told.

[@kikiki4592]

We used to party in that tunnell under Grand Blvd. If you want it can take you to Lemp Brewery, Anhiesur (my spelling is bad lol) Busch Brewery all the way down to the Arch and to many other places in the city.

[@gimmedatsammich]

There is an upside to abandonment on this scale: nature begins to reclaim it in short order. If people continue to leave the city, to the point where some neighborhoods are virtually abandoned, the best option might be to simply do nothing with these massive properties. They’re ugly as hell, but what do birds, bugs, and small mammals care? These are safe havens for all sorts of creatures and plants. Why are they safe? Because people are guaranteed not to go near them. In short, they become de facto wildlife refuges.

[@EldiniTheGenie]

Then open plots can also be really good to plan completely from scratch, and build up better neighborhoods that can accommodate a proper community that could supplement itself with new local businesses and residents. But there’s one problem that needs to go away in those areas: the crime. But as it stands, they will continue to be the domain of Mother Nature as far as I can tell

[@marygrummer9189]

Very cool. But mostly sad. 😢

[@NMIBUBBLE]

The cleveland high school would be a cool place for a hotel and restaurant! 4 or 5 star! Some of those buildings on the outskirts could be knocked down and turned into mega city's, the court house could be a hotel 4 or 5 star! Geez such beautiful buildings just going to waste sad.

[@webb2kmo]

Architecture is a lost art. I'm beyond the soulless buildings of today.

[@artofexp]

The amount of detail to architecture was crazy. All done by hand. True artists.

[@mzondi1970]

I was born in St Louis but now I live in a suburb outside St Louis I never realized my old high School Cleveland was in shambles like that

[@kikiki4592]

That and Central/VAP have went to hell. Both were still good when I left in 95.

[@rjmcallister1888]

There is an active movement to stabilize and renovate St. Liborius, which was being used as an indoor skate park before a fire. For most, it's not the Railway Exchange building; it's Famous-Barr, the huge department store that died under Macy's. Most have outlived their original purposes (especially the schools and churches) in a now, much smaller city. The city's Historic Preservation Commission has let some of these stand too long; they need the wrecking ball. But some can be saved.

[@edljnehan2811]

@@rjmcallister1888 I worked at Famous bar all through the early to mid-seventies. Now I live downtown not too far away from it. It's really kind of sad.

[@Bdhstl95]

I worry about the Wainwright building with it’s sale from the state. Not sure it fit is a Historic Landmark but recognized as an important building in 1900s architecture.

[@autumnmcewing9211]

Strong buildings 😊

[@Mandalynn_Bay]

I love photographing in this area. It’s so sad it turned out the way it has.

[@libertyvilleguy2903]

I hate to see such beautiful churches in ruin.

[@scronx]

That is just awesome -- thank you! I feel like I'm looking at the remnants of some great civilization that fell to depths of shocking banality. Wait, that's exactly what it is...... .

[@artofexp]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@davemaglish247]

it's a shame to see some of these architectural Marvels in such decay.

[@valeriegoode9762]

Wow.

[@RuthAnneLamantia]

There are 22,000 vacant/abandoned structures in St. Louis.

[@pmanis09]

I used to go to concerts at the American Theatre (Orpheum Theatre) back in the 1990's. The Roberts brothers bought it, renamed it and it's been closed for a long time now with no hope of reopening. Even if someone had a lot of money to restore it, you would have to make sure the area is safe enough to be able to park your car and safely enjoy the show without fear of being carjacked. The downtown area in the City of Saint Louis was great at one time and has been steadily going downhill since the late 1990's. There have been many different mayors since then, but the decline has accelerated in recent years.

[@CatherineJenkins-v5h]

Forgive me for my ignorance. Is this just a you tube video or is it just a part of a longer history piece that has been televised. If not it would make a beautiful history film of St Louis.

[@artofexp]

Just a KZbin video I made to showcase historical and culturally significant places of STL history

[@CatherineJenkins-v5h]

If I were you I would take this to a historical society and make it into a documentary with narration. It looks like there are some good stories to tell .

[@stephenburns3678]

Thank you

[@artofexp]

You're welcome

[@kristinechristlieb1383]

nice drone footage

[@pimperorpimpatine3199]

What song did you use near the start of the video?

[@artofexp]

It’s the same song the whole video. Virtues Inherited, Vices Passed On - Chris Zabriskie. From the KZbin audio library.

[@pimperorpimpatine3199]

@@artofexp Thank you!

[@beeman8663]

3:11 is the sugar exchange building.

[@Maddox3310]

This makes me sad

[@artofexp]

Me too 😔

[@bman1275]

I did not know the Chemical building closed in 1983. I can recall going to a jeweler on second floor and Dooley's during the early 1990's

[@artofexp]

The upper offices closed during that time. The 1st and 2nd floor had shops open on and off up until a few years ago. Mostly jewelers as you said. I debated what year to put but since mostly abandoned since 1980’s went with that.

[@SAHogan-ih3bo]

author of THE DEATH TAX sez: Really found this depressing, the Railway Exchange (which I knew as Famous Barr) and Chemical Buildings (which I once climbed the stairs all the way to the top and stood on the roof of), and magnificent Cleveland High in particular resonating with me. Glad to see from Dom's report that at least some of these bldgs. are being repurposed, though sad any of them have to go (remember the sense of loss I felt when the Arena was demolished while being most grateful Union Station was saved)--no less than pieces of HISTORY in this once grand old burg. Sadly, Detroit has a similar vibe, and the sad thing is you get a sense of how GREAT these cities were.

[@artofexp]

It is a shame to see these beautiful buildings go, but the city is working on repurposing a few of them.

[@stevenhall9009]

I was born and raised in the St Louis metropolitan area & my cousin attended Scullin elementary school.

[@maryaltshuller885]

Having been a county resident most of my life, I've never heard of most of these places. I can see what happened with white flight. I have lived in other parts of the US including Southern California. I saw plenty of urban decay there too. With the constant influx of migrants, immigrants and refugees I would like to see these buildings either demolished or redeveloped for something else, say apartments or condos for some the really big structures. For the abandoned schools maybe a group would buy them to turn them into community centers.

[@painkillerjones6232]

@33Donner77 No one.

[@jamie49868]

All it takes is money. How much do you have?

[@gregb6469]

So why has St Louis, once one of America's largest and most vibrant cities, so collapsed in recent decades?

[@michaelmeltzer3397]

ONE WORD ANSWER; DDEMOCRATS.

[@NateCKennedy]

Racism, personal cars and expansive suburbia, failure to keep fortune 500 companies in the area, and giving giant tax write off to the ones who do, which destroy city services. And a political division going back to the 1850s that established STL as an independent city from STL county, so as the city lost 500,000 population, STL County grew to 1 million people. So again, white flight and loss of tax base due to suburbia and racism.

[@NateCKennedy]

​@@michaelmeltzer3397must be easy living in your world where the explanations are so simple.

[@merleshand2442]

The white people left, same everywhere

[@AustrianPainter14]

It’s not that difficult to figure out. Stop being woke and ask the actual residents why they moved out of all these cities.

[@denispauliat4570]

Quel gâchis !

[@user-tu1ee6dc5f]

The bricks and building designs made this a city to rival Chicago. We let it go.

[@musikismylife05]

My dad worked at the chemical building through the late 90's - not sure why it said it was abandoned in '83 - it wasn't in great shape when he left but it still had a few other businesses there when he moved

[@artofexp]

I couldn’t find an exact date the building closed but was informed most of the upper building was vacated and abandoned in the 80s. The lower couple floors especially the street facing stores last until the 2000s.

[@dianeferguson1074]

There is nothing to reopen for St Liborius. Its just a shell. It would cost a fortune!!!!

[@artofexp]

Somebody has posted the owners still plan to reopen the skatepark within the church. If the walls are stable it could be a cool open air skatepark.

[@user-tu1ee6dc5f]

If had a billion dollars!! The problem was everyone fled to the county. The biggest downfall was TWA leaving being sold to AA. It made us a third rate city. Thats when Fortune 500's left. Then add all the Corp jobs being moved to Clayton, Chesterfield out of downtown. I lived in the city all my life until 97 then it was mass exodus. The city is a ghost town after 6pm if a sports ball game isnt going on. You add lax gun laws were kids can carry a gun its a recipe for disaster. Downtown is now a place to let your teen kid let wild on the streets while the parents do whatever. about 300 hundred cops short of a full deck. No one pays taxes in the city so budget shortfalls. Then Rams settlement money people in power seem clueless what to use it for. At least thats collecting interest now.

[@HoytClagwell6407]

The $ isn't collecting interest, it's being squandered.

[@FDJT-sj7id]

You’re right on so many points. The only way to save St. Louis would be the City and County merging and some of the tax dollars moving into the city. But that ain’t gonna happen. I lived in St. Louis my first 50 years. I moved to Atlanta 10 years ago. Sad to see what’s happened to The Lou. My first real job, while I was in grad school was at Sears in Crestwood. It’s absolutely stunning how “dead” the Watson Road corridor is these days. I see they are building on the old Crestwood mall site. The only thing that’s excited me recently was reading that Tower Tee was saved! Maybe there is hope…….

[@1331RECIPROCITY]

I need 2 visit saint loueee .in the future..

[@artofexp]

Check out the City Museum

[@LePoneyPosey76]

What happened to this city ? I'm french and visited Saint Louis MI, 2 months ago and had a strange feeling. I loved the gateway Arch and all but some area and downtown were like I was in a ghostown. I really really enjoyed this american experience this country is so damn beautiful but it seem like I missed something about St Louis

[@nickm1770]

Combination of a lot of things I imagine. I live in Saint Louis. Have all my 24 years of life. I love the city but I have always recognized I'm not seeing it in its prime. I've been to Chicago and Kansas City and see the life in both of those places, and I just don't see it here. There is a passion for this city, dont get me wrong, but years of mismanagement and greed seemed to have driven many away. Its a shame really. Being basically smack in the middle of the country you would think such a place would be a center for industry, but we just can't seem to hang on to anything major for very long.

[@TimSedai]

I grew up in Carrollton, the suburb bought out and demolished by the airport in '89

[@saintlunatikk4143]

Good ol' St. Augustine aka the Den of Wolves

[@JustRoTv80]

What a shame.

[@MBT06]

St.louis was once a great city, but it has fallen due to suburban sprawl and white flight.

[@FDJT-sj7id]

Those are definitely two of the causes, but there are significantly more. - The legal structure of St. Louis City vs. County keeps all of the tax money of the county out of the city. - The lack of a quality city public school system drives (drove) all of the children to county or parochial schools. - The lack of a significant public mass transit system. - The departure of TWA/American. - The lack of a welcoming environment for corporations and mergers of large companies that chose a HQ somewhere else. - Let’s admit it (I was born in STL county and lived there for 50 years) St. Louis is a very racist city. White flight might be the result, but racism was the cause. It’s funny, I live in Atlanta these days, but the real Mason-Dixon Line is Olive (or maybe Page) in St. Louis. - The structure of North St. Louis County (with the 30+ municipalities each with 200 citizens) has caused a significant portion of that area to remain poor and decrepit with little hope of change. When you have duplicate services (times 30+) in such a small area, tax dollars are used incredibly inefficiently. It’s a downward spiral. - Graft and corruption was rampant in St. Louis City government for decades. An argument could be made in either direction these days. Was it worse than some other cities, like, Chicago? No, but it still drove business out. - Consolidation of companies and the changing manufacturing structure hit St. Louis hard. For a while, St. Louis was the 2nd largest manufacturer of cars in the world. (Behind Detroit, of course). Ford, Chevy, Chrysler (HQ) were all there. Every Corvette in the world was made in St. Louis from 1954 - 1981. - The merger or departure of the headquarters of numerous Fortune 1000 companies including Ralston Purina, Of course Anheuser Busch. International Shoe. McDonnell Douglas. General Dynamics. Seven Up. The best hope for the rebirth of St. Louis would be the joining of the City and County. But the County won’t allow that to happen. And so it goes…….

[@joeblow9548]

Yes lets blame racist whity for what moved in and destroyed everything it touched as it has in every city

[@millcitymercantile]

Hard to believe some of these buildings weren't converted into condos and other useful purposes.

[@Kerry-G]

St Liborius was recently in a bad fire. They’re going to restore it as we speak 👍🏽

[@StlSinger]

Imagine most of those massive buildings being built with primitive tools and horse and buggy 😂

[@endlessvice988]

The jamestown mall was a great spot before it was demolished. shame

[@elsenorgatito]

I enjoyed this urban decay. It's going to be interesting what all the new sub developments in st charles county will look like in 75 years!

[@artofexp]

Stuff today isn’t made to last so not expecting too much!

[@painkillerjones6232]

You in grade school?

[@Idontcarebruh666]

I’ll be 97 I’ll let you know in 75 years

[@justinzeid212]

Most of these old buildings in the city will probably outlast these.

[@darryldeclue841]

It's a Damn shame what's happened to Cleveland high school, I went there, it was a beautiful school

[@rebeccajohnson629]

Plus all the developers buying up everything

[@rebeccajohnson629]

Crime rates, homelessness, sad to see beautiful architecture gone

[@WhiteBoiJake]

It’s sad driving through there many houses are abandoned it looks like a war zone or something.

[@zivkourosevic3940]

It is.

[@Daniel-bt7wg]

What amazing buildings it's a shame all destroyed and decayed because that state is filled with

[@craigp7087]

STL still is a beautiful city with tremendous opportunity. First, the City needs ro eliminate its 1% tax on employment income and the added tax employers pay on top. The first thing that should go is that. Then boost pay and benefits for the police and get tough on crime including the wreckless speeding. The market the heck out of the city and greatly incentivize reuse of the many vacant buildings. STL could be another boomtown. Its affordable, nearly 2 hour or less flight to majority of the US, has outstanding parks, restaurants, breweries, museums, and outdoor activities in greater MO. Much more to address but a start.

[@sinbaon2154]

So Much Work To Do, All These Beautiful Spaces Should Be At Least Maintained To Be Functional. The Lease/ Could Be Revoked If Plans Are Not Approved.

[@petegamer8267]

This is what happens when the rich move all of there manufacturing overseas. They abandon the city and leave. Then the average American citizen is left with this. And a lot of these places could be turned in to low income housing.

[@timpekarek9159]

Makes me sick.

[@artofexp]

It is sad seeing these beautiful buildings falling apart

[@Cherry-bv7yr]

Cementland , the old work house?

[@maureenberra16]

St. Louis has no pride in itself and its history

[@ZippyThePinhead]

I think St Laborious may have been the same Catholic Church I went on a school trip to back in grade school MANY eons ago, I think it's the same neighborhood. Even if it isn't, it's a shame to see it burned.

[@Justin-ox2xn]

Most of them were in downtown north St. Louis. So the schools were closed due to lack of government funding. The rest were abandoned and completely neglected.

[@susanjaeger9851]

Dang shame. It's done on purpose.

[@dingus6317]

There’s a way to fix it but it isn’t very nice

[@tisenhow]

Eventually it will be West St. Louis, twin of East. When places are left to rot like that, it brings in poverty and crime. So many beautiful structures ruined by graffiti and purposeful destruction

[@donphillips599]

Cleveland, high school once had my coke truck robbed of soda while I was delivering there

[@conchitaholman1231]

All these beautiful buildings, an all these homeless people. Why not end the homeless situation with some of these beautiful buildings? Just asking...😮

[@davidsecord6412]

Before COVID, I saw patients in St. Louis and the surrounding areas. There is a lot of this city which is going the way of Baltimore.

[@edljnehan2811]

@@davidsecord6412 St Louis actually surpassed Baltimore in homicides

[@PATTYGETT-e2b]

That was AMAZING if i had a wish that you would taken pictures of the G.E. power plant across the river in sauget IL. It powered St.Louis from 1923 to1977.

[@artofexp]

Is it still there?

[@karencrawford9227]

All these abandoned building could have house the homeless and then some! I am ashamed of my city for this!

[@anya40]

I live in this hell hole of a city. Until we get a city government that is not corrupt, nothing will change. We are quickly becoming another Detroit. Sad.

[@danielbolwerk7442]

Why are they abandoned?

[@artofexp]

Mostly population lost to the suburbs.

[@jeffreyscott2252]

Because of corrupt politicians

[@anatolyolevsky4403]

There are so many beautiful buildings. Unfortunately, the government of St. Louis City does not create an incentive to restore them. St. Louis loses its population because of its lousy governance. I guess the people like it that way.

[@wisecracker1814]

Soon, "the most abandoned place of StL", will BE StL. Currently 24,000!! empty abandoned blds in StL city limits. This includes the largest office bldg in the state, the AT&T tower, which has been empty for over 12 years since AT&T fled downtown. There is only ONE reason, and it ain't the humidity, folks. Kno'm'sayin..?

[@dustinmoritz6634]

Stl is unfortunately home to some of the worst policing ang gang violence. I've been in the area for 35 years and it has only gotten worse as the years accumulate