Thematic Survey of Modern Movement Non-Residential Architecture, 1945-1975, in St. Louis City

Peter Meijer Architect, PC

From introduction: "The St. Louis Modern Movement Survey project is a multi-tiered thematic survey of Modern Movement non‐residential architecture built between circa 1945 and 1975 in the City of St. Louis city limits. The project represents a collaborative effort between the City of St Louis Cultural Resource Office (CRO), the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and Peter Meijer Architect, PC (PMA) with Christine Madrid French, modern architectural historian. The term Modern Movement is used to encompass various styles of the mid‐century Modern era but does not include the Art Deco, Modernistic, Streamline and Moderne styles that were widely used before 1940. The entire City of St. Louis is covered in this thematic survey. Prior to initiating the survey, the City of St. Louis conducted a “windshield” survey of approximately 2280 non-residential resources based on the survey period. Several well-known and highly visible resources from the modern period have already been identified and designated as local historic landmarks and/or listed in the National Register, either individually or as part of historic districts, and were thus not included in the survey. The Survey intentionally did not include listed properties in order to identify additional resources in the city, as well as highlight architectural patterns, and locate less prominent “background buildings” that may be considered historically significant in the future. Five project objectives were established: 1) complete a selective Reconnaissance Level historic resources Survey (RLS) for 200 selected non-residential properties constructed between 1945-1975 in the City of St. Louis; 2) develop a broader understanding of the historic themes and resources associated with the Modern Movement in St. Louis by writing three historic context statements in conjunction with the survey work; 3) create an expanded property list of approximately forty (40) properties and present the list of the public; 4) select from the expanded list and complete an Intensive Level Survey (ILS) of twenty-five (25) properties; and 5) prepare a survey report that provides the City of St. Louis with baseline historic resource data for future preservation planning and land use planning. The results of the project will contribute to the body of knowledge regarding modern resources in St. Louis." Funding was provided in part by a 2012 Historic Preservation Fund grant to the City of Saint Louis (project number MO-12-016) administered by the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office (grant number 29-12-41932) and the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Saint Louis, Missouri is a Certified Local Government.

Thematic Survey of Modern Movement Non-Residential Architecture, 1945-1975, in St. Louis City

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