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Botanical Heights, formally known as McRee Town, is a neighborhood located west of Grand Avenue, north of Interstate 44, east of Vandeventer Avenue and south of Park Avenue. Chick Here For A Google Map of the area.
In 2004 McRee Town was renamed Botanical Heights, after a 6 square block redevelopment project being carried out by a consortium of neighborhood and government organizations including HUD and the City of St. Louis. The project is being built by St. Louis based McBride and Sons Home builders.
The original McRee Town, which is actuality was named McRee City, was originally developed between 1880 and 1929. Much of the area was built in order to provide housing for the employees of the Leggitt and Meyer's tobacco company. It was fairly typical of various neighborhoods in the city and featured a bustling commercial district along 39th street. The housing stock was made up of single family homes, two and four family structures, as well as a few apartment buildings. The single family houses ranged from small, shot-gun style brick homes to some fairly ornate and large brick homes.
The neighborhood declined over a long period of time into crime infested shell of it's former self. Home ownership in the area declined from a high of 34% to as low as 4%. Many people familiar with the neighborhood believe that part of this decline was directly attributable to a purposefully effort on the part of the city to deny the residents of this area many vital city services such as adequate police protection.
Others feel that this is not the case and that the neighborhood was simply the victim of urban blight.
Revitalization
Starting in 1997 a consortium of neighborhood groups and the directors of the Missouri Botanical Gardens formed a group called the Garden District Commission and started lobbying the city to take on a redevelopment plan for the area. In 2002, the city's board of alderman approved a redevelopment plan that would encompass the entire 14 square block area previously known as McRee Town, as well as a 6 square block area of new construction.
The new construction portion of the project will consist of more than 400 residential units. Somewhere between 100 and 200 of the units will be new construction single family homes, 20 -60 properties will be rehabilitated for either rental or purchase and 15 - 20 units will be set aside for low income housing.
Efforts, such as hardy plank siding in lieu of vinyl siding, were made in an effort to have the new construction blend better with the existing homes that were to be kept. Depending upon whom you talk with, these efforts were either wildly successful or not successful at all.
According to McBride and Son's there are only 2 single family homes left with prices ranging from about $250,000 - $300,000. These properties are tax abated until 2016.
Real Estate Information (based upon information gathered from February 27, 2007 - February 27, 2008)
Average Sales Price $200,828
Average Sq. Ft. 1858
Average Cost Per Sq. Ft $ 113.00
At any given time there are numerous houses on the market in the Botanical Heights Neighborhood ranging from a low of about $82,000 to a high of around $350,000.00. For information on homes in the Botanical Heights Neighborhood or on the Botanical Heights Neighborhood real estate market, please feel free to call or to click on the "contact us" link.
St. Louis Commerce Magazine Article on Botanical Heights Eco-absence web site on the destruction of McRee Town
Built St. Louis Website featuring some interesting pictures of the neighborhood being demolished
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