Renovation

Kaleb Higgins stands in front of his father’s historic Lustron home on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in the Princeton Heights neighborhood of St. Louis. Higgins and John Kinneman, his father, have restoring the prefabricated home from the 1950s into a short-term rental.

Culture & History

Going back to the future of housing with a Lustron home in St. Louis

Danny Wicentowski

An example of one of the homes that inspired “Fallout” is getting a new life in St. Louis.

Construction of new homes on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Grand Center. According to Rent.com, the median asking price for a rental unit rose nearly 18 percent since last year.

Economy & Business

Missouri doesn’t have a statewide building code. This bill seeks to change that

Eric Schmid

Regularly updated codes can also aid with disaster resilience. The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimates adopting current building codes can avoid hundreds of billions of dollars in damages.

From left: Jon and Willie McMiller of HGTV pilot "My Flipping Family."

Culture & History

In ‘My Flipping Family,’ the McMiller brothers shine a spotlight on St. Louis

Kayla Drake

Willie and Jon McMiller hope to land an HGTV series with their pilot "My Flipping Family," which premieres Wednesday.

The four-story brick building at 2001 Edison Ave. in Granite City was built in the early 1920s for a YMCA health and fitness center. It recently was converted into an apartment complex.

Culture & History

Historic YMCA Transformed Into Artsy Apartment Complex In Downtown Granite City

Teri Maddox

The old recreational space is now 37 affordable apartments, which the developer says is focused on serving artists and veterans who meet income requirements.

The six-story brick building at 16 S. Illinois St. began as Hotel Belleville in 1931. The Catholic Diocese of Belleville later operated it as Meredith Memorial Home for retirees from the early 1960s to 2010.

Culture & History

Former Belleville Hotel Building Was Derelict A Year Ago — Now It’s Home Sweet Home

Teri Maddox

Tenants are moving into the new apartment complex, called Lofts on the Square.

Eltoreon Hawkins works on a house in the Walnut Park West neighborhood of St. Louis.

Government, Politics & Issues

This St. Louisan Sees Beauty In Vacant Houses — And Wants To Help You Buy One

Shahla Farzan

Eltoreon Hawkins has made it his mission to help St. Louisans buy vacant, city-owned houses.The 25-year-old contractor bought his first home from the…

This rendering shows Hannibal's marina, docking area and green space, now under construction.

Economy & Business

Hannibal is sprucing up its riverfront for residents and tourists

Nancy Fowler

The boyhood home of Mark Twain is getting a makeover along its riverfront.The changes will include a new river wall, event space and docking sites for…

Arts

By summer, the city's landmark could become Gateway Arch National Park

Chad Davis

The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial could soon have a new name. The U.S. Senate has approved a bill to change its name to Gateway Arch National…

Good Life Growing operates 20 "hoop houses," which are a kind of greenhouse.

Economy & Business

Winner of free Old North restaurant space to promote local greens and neighborhood gardening

Nancy Fowler

An urban farming nonprofit is the winner of a competition for a free restaurant space in St. Louis’ Old North area.James Forbes and his partners at Good…

It took several years for members of St. Louis' skating community to renovate the old St. Liborius church. A company called Hogan Street Partners owns the building; a nonprofit called Liborius Urban Arts Studios operates the space.

Arts

Film documents the worship of skating and community inside old St. Louis church

Nancy Fowler

In recent years, St. Louisans have turned abandoned buildings into apartments, art galleries and restaurants. But a grassroots effort has repurposed a…