Jeff-Vander-Lou Green-Board Buildings

Saint Louis City

The historic buildings across the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood in Saint Louis City date to the late 19th century, but the name which we now know the area by was not coined until 1966 with the creation of Jeff-Vander-Lou, Inc. Founded by housing activist and community developer Mr. Macler C. Shepard, Jeff-Vander-Lou, Inc. had a goal of acquiring and rehabilitating homes across the neighborhood to improve the affordability and living conditions for homeowners and renters. By the end of World War II, the neighborhood, which was one of the first areas where African Americans could own real estate, was considered blighted. Between 1968 and 1978, JVL acquired and rehabilitated dozens of buildings, usually a few at a time. These buildings continued to provide quality affordable housing, even as others around them were abandoned and left to deteriorate. In 2000, the St. Louis Equity Fund created JVL Renaissance, Inc. and breathed a third life into the structures across two phases, JVL Renaissance I, and JVL Renaissance II in 2004. The buildings were again sold in 2020 to Hudson & McKee Real Estate (also operating as H&M II, LLC) who proposed a renovation to keep the housing affordable. However, it was not long after the sale that many of the buildings were vacated and the first floors boarded up with green plywood. Deferred maintenance and abandonment caused these buildings to deteriorate rapidly in a short amount of time. Many have visible holes in the roof, a few have experienced partial collapse of masonry walls, and at least one has suffered a fire. Only a small portion of historic buildings in this section of the neighborhood are under private ownership and a few others are held by the Land Reutilization Authority of St. Louis; the loss of these green-boarded buildings would result in almost a total loss of original structures in this portion of the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood. Many of the buildings south of Cass Avenue also feature limestone facades and Second Empire style influences, and arguably make up the largest existing concentration of this building style in St. Louis outside of Lafayette Square. Beyond their architectural value, these buildings represent the legacy of Jeff-Vander-Lou, Inc. and the resiliency of the neighborhood in spite of white flight, redlining, and disinvestment in the 1960s and 70s. It is hoped that listing the JVL Green-Board properties as a Place in Peril will shine a light on the neglect and hopefully catch the attention of a developer who is willing to purchase the structures and follow through with rehabilitation for affordable housing.

Link to research paper about Jeff VAnder Lou, Inc.

Link to St Louis Vacancy Collaborative map of vacant properties. (You will need to search H&M II LLC)