This building ALMOST met the wrecking ball!
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- Опубліковано 22 сер 2024
- This week we got offered an amazing opportunity to tour the old St. Louis post office building in downtown. Its a big beautiful second empire (mostly) civic building. It's a true survivor and an amazing part of our city's past. So join Kim and I as we explore another part of St. Louis's past.
#Exploring #Victorian #tour #preservation #secondempire
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^^^Seriously if you visit St. Louis and love all things Victorian go here^^^
Completed Projects (2021): New Roof, New Water Service, New Windows (Partial), Boiler Work, Sewer Lateral, Tuck-pointing, Plaster Repair (Partial), Wood Floors (Partial), Electric Service (Partial)
Projects to Complete in 2022: Limestone Restoration of Front Elevation, Rebuild Mansard, New Windows (Partial), Complete Plaster Work (2nd Floor and Back Hallway 1st Floor, Kitchen and Dining Room), Plumbing Stacks and Rough in Plumbing, Complete Electric, HVAC (Basement and 1st Floor), High Velocity AC and Heat (2nd Floor), Mini Splits (3rd Floor), Framing on 3rd Floor, Rebuild of Front Cornice Work and Copper Gutter System, Rebuilding of Dormers
Projects to Complete in 2023: Hallways and Stairwells (Plaster Repair, Floors, Stringers of Stairwell Reinforcement), Completion of Windows (1st and 3rd Floors), Parlors (Including Fireplace Mantels, and Pocket Doors, and Decorative Fretwork, Completion of 3 Floor Bathroom and Main Suite
Click the link to see how it all began: ua-cam.com/video/IF8VkcLa1S4/v-deo.html
Absolutely gorgeous. This is a perfect example of an extremely well built building. I hate to sound old but you definitely do not see this quality today. You know the quality that is meant to last and not break in two years. Everything now appears to have a short expiration date.
Two words: Survivor Bias
Always amazed at how in the 60s during the whole "urban renewal"movement in major cities, officials would desperately try to find solid reasons why pre-1900 structures weren't worth saving. Cleveland Ohio was a prime example, so many were lost to the wrecking ball to make room for "modern" structures that didn't even last to the year 2000...Glad to see St. Louis officials realized it's worth!
Philadelphia City Hall came close to demolition a few times, it was saved only because the cost of tearing it down was unaffordable (walls are up to 22 feet thick of solid masonry)
You're right! Instead they should have been looking for reasons on how to make them better.
Hey as someone from Cleveland, you’re spot on. It was seen as a legitimate way of dealing with poverty, economic development, and blight all in one. Not to mention the thousands of beautiful and functional streets/buildings carved out for highways and parking lots. And I wouldn’t say we’ve exactly learned from our past. Opportunity Corridor is just the newest form of urban renewal.
Sounds to me like someone in the 60s had a brother in construction who wanted some government $ to "fix" something that was built right the first time. Democracies are like that if you don't pay attention the wrong people get into office and change things to line their own pockets instead of bettering the country for all of the people living with in it.
Wichita, Kansas is still doing it. Very sadly.
1n 1964, while in high school, I was in the Civil Air Patrol. We held our weekly meetings in the Old Post Office. We pretty much had the run of the building from the second floor on up.
At the time I thought it was the neatest old building I had ever seen. I still think it's great. Thank you for bringing back some fond memories.
I'm glad it was saved. I remember the controversy, with architecture students complaining about the Tootsie Roll columns, while they aspired to glass boxes. That is the way a courtroom is supposed to look, as Detoqueville said, "in America the Law is the King." People behaved themselves better when they were in the presence of the Law.
If the the guy with the glasses who wanted to tear it down was still around today I'd say he'd be mortified at his words....(but if he was a developer...maybe not) What a beautiful building...the stained glass is stunning....thank goodness for the far-sighted folks who had a sense of history and saved it....
Comparing that stunning building and piece of history to an old shoe or an old car...what a doofus! So heartwarming to know that so many people wanted to save this building. Thank you, Caleb, Kim, and Adam for the tour. Merry Christmas to all!
People save old cars all the time, that guy was a piece of mid-century work...
Exactly just an example of one of those people that doesn't appreciate the good things they have while they have them. I'm sure he lamented losing things way too late.
@@timnewman1172 Yeah, he was annoying from the start. But when he said that you don’t save old cars, I felt justified in completely disregarding everything he said!
What a great video and building. Listening to the gentleman who wanted to get rid of the building made me want to come through the screen and slap him upside the head.. I lived in a magnificent second empire house. I have a healthy respect for the way these structures were built. Wishing you, Kim, and your viewers a blessed Christmas with peace and safety.
He sounded so glib, and his arguments used emotional pulls instead of logic. In short, he was a lying banker. Nothing changes.
Lol! Felt the same about that dude. 🤨
Ugh!! I just can't with the dude with the glasses!! That building is BEAUTIFUL!!! Thank you for the tour!
When I was little, we lived in an old Victorian farmhouse, we had a tiled entry similar to that one, my mom would paste wax it, then turn an old wool rug upside down, set my little brother on it and make it a game of me dragging him around, little did I know I was actually polishing the floor. lol .. The man who wanted to tear it down, in my guess, a developer, that's what they do.. Should have taken him outside of town and tarred and feathered him.. lol
Loved the building. It’s a shame that most of these beautiful structures have been torn down in America. Most of Europe has taken great pride of their histories and their buildings are saved and preserved. Thank you for giving us a tour.
Beautiful tour! Regards to Kim. Here in Florence, we have a great appreciation for 'old' buildings. Most of the inner city is medieval and older. Buon Natale a tutti! Love from Italy.
The man who complained that the building doesn't exemplify any one style apparently hasn't looked at many new buildings that have no style at all. Many are bland, utilitarian structures that could have been copied from Soviet Russia. Other new buildings border on the bizarre, and their novelty will wear thin over time. The Post Office is a place of beauty, and the fact that its beauty remains speaks to the quality of its materials and workmanship. It's a piece of history that St. Louis should embrace proudly.
Well-stated.
Loved this video! I can't believe anyone ever considered tearing down this iconic building. That alone brings tears to my eyes being a life long resident of the City of St. Louis.
Wow! Such a pleasure to come along on this tour. That building isn't just a St. Louis treasure, it's a national treasure. Hats off to those who had the vision and chops to resist tearing it down in the 1960s and to those who had the fortitude and will to champion its restoration in the 2000s.
The Post Office building is absolutely stunning!! Thank god it wasn’t torn down! The floors are just amazing and the court room was stunning! It would be so cool it they could rebuild the cupola on top!! The building reminds me of the Old Executive Office Building next door to the White House in Washington DC. Thanks so much for sharing it with us! Wishing you and Kim a very merry Christmas and a terrific New Year!
That building is gorgeous. Glad folks had the sense to save it.
Beautiful building! I love old houses and buildings. They have a soul. When I think of the tools they were limited to compared to today, I'm always amazed! That tile flooring is amazing! I assume they had to cut each color separately. That is mind blowing. I don't care if a house or building combines architectural styles! It looks absolutely amazing. Thanks for sharing.
This building is amazing. The tile on the floors and stairs so gorgeous!.
Wow, thanks for the tour ! I worked at the old Federal Reserve Bank in Boston during its rehabilitation and they saved a lot. The inner atrium was converted into a plush resturant and the upper floors were a hotel. Also worked at the Suffolk County CH in 2002 during restoration and renamed John Adams CH which houses the MA Supreme C and MA appeals C. The atrium cieling was lovingly restored by volounteers from Suffolk University College of Art who spent many weeks laying on their backs restoring the gold leaf and cleaning off decades of grime.
Hi Kim !😍.
In 1968 in my hometown, Des Moines, Iowa, the 1868 Second Empire style post office/Federal courthouse was deemed undesirable by the city fathers and razed before residents could put up a fight to save it. They wanted a parking structure on the site in order to keep the JC Penney store downtown. Penney's left anyway a couple decades later and now the parking structure has been razed as well. The building would have served as a complement to the 1906 Beaux-Arts style county courthouse across the street which is still standing and recently went through an interior restoration. It was such a shame to have lost such a beautiful century-old building and residents complain about the loss to this day. St. Louis is lucky to still have theirs.
Thank God they saved it!
Oh, just the thought that people would want to destroy this fabulous structure just floors me. I'm so glad it was saved. Thanks for the tour Caleb!
Wow!!!! Fascinating. And up to the dome. Little sad about the cupola, but love the statue being preserved inside. The floors are stunning.
This is perfect im going to St Louis in a couple weeks and been looking for things to see other than the tourist spots
Incredible structure! Thanks to all the people & efforts taken to save this post office.
Thank you for sharing Sir- I am glad to see it still standing!
Oh my goodness!!!! Wow! Wow! Wow! What a beautiful structure!!!! I believe every building is worth saving. Its our history. I believe every historical home is worth saving. Even the ones collapsing in farm fields. Instead of pushing old homes into a pile and burning them someone could come in and salvage everything good. We will never have old growth lumber again or all the beautiful detail work that was so beautifully crafted on the outside and inside of these old structures whether they are buildings or homes. An old plank wood floor from a farmhouse has more stability and charm than anything you could buy brand new thats made from low grade wood. Yea!!!!! for those who rallied to keep that beautiful building! God bless and Merry Christmas
An absolutely gorgeous building. The 1st look you gave us, my mouth dropped and I said "THAT" is a Post Office !!? The courthouse is beautiful
I knew it had to be something more than that lol. I LOVE this building. I'm glad it wasn't torn down
That building is a national treasure! Good luck trying to find that kind of craftsmanship - it's a lost art. If that guy in the video saw what has gone up in the past 70 years he would change his tune!
That tile was incredible, you might talk to Laine at 'Our Restoration Nation' knows a fabulous historic tile maker, and she's great at helping people with their questions. a place to look for some answers any way! :) Thanks for the lovely tour!
When I saw that floor, I immediately thought of your house.
It's truly an Amazing floor design & the colors suit the building for sure.
The video within this video about the building was very enlightening as to what was going on at that time about the buildings status.
The government should consider putting in steel window guards in Federal & State Buildings to protect everyone inside.
Such as: at the Capitol & White House.
Thank You for sharing this Awesome Historical Adventure from St. Louis.
Agreed on all points, Nancy. Thank you.
This building is amazing. I can not believe anyone would come out with an idea of pulling it down. Crazy thought! Why some people are so eager to destroy their own history and the history of their towns? And replace them with what? Most often with their own idea of "architectural genius" that few years pass will look like an eyesore. This old post office is one lucky survivor. A monument to it's era.
Wow!! So glad it was saved 🥳🥰
Our older court house was destroyed in a tornado years ago. We now have a modern court house here in Clarksville Tennessee. I miss our historic downtown
Wow! This post office just made my have to see list
Beautiful building with stunning features… and I wouldn’t mind being shown around by the guide! 😆😃
Great way to end the season. Have a great holiday guys.
St louis is lucky. Boston had a magnificent 2nd Empire Post Office and sub-treasury that was torn down for an ugly 1930's p.o and court house.
Amazing just a wonderful pice of history which should never be destroyed. I wounded if somewhere the drawing of the building exist? It would be great to see them!
Wow the floor!!. Absolutely beautiful. Xx
Wow! I’m so glad it was saved. The court room and library are so beautiful. Thank you for the tour.
Part of the Old Post Office is now the Eastern Applet Court, Court of Appeals for Eastern MO.
I never knew that! Glad to see your comment today.
Both the story and building are fascinating!
Great tour. Glad some groups were able to restore it. Wonder how many boilers that building has, and how long to heat up.
Thanks for showing The St. Louis, Mo Old Post Office in The City. I 've lived here for 84 yr. which is all my life and we have plenty of Great Architectural Buildings by great Architect as the famous Frank Lloyd Wright which is here in the St. Louis County. Hope someday you and Kim will show it to your subscribers. Thanks again.
What a gorgeous building! So glad the people against saving didn't win on that one.
I am very glad they decided to restore it instead of destroy it! Thank you for posting.
Philadelphia city hall is also second empire. Until a few years ago the facade was very dirty. I was surprised that is was actually a gray blue. It was by city ordinance the tallest building in the city. It is not any more.
To me what was incredible is that when them seceded to "modernize" the City Hall the contractor, unlike almost any other project undertaken at that period, opted to encase all of the old Victorian details rather that the usual chop it out. When they started restoration they found almost all of the original plaster work, paintings, even light fixtures, still there.
When you panned your camera over the floors, I said, "That's amazing." at almost the same time you did. I'll have to put the old post office on my list of things to visit in St. Louis. Thanks for taking us along on your special tour!
Man I love beautifully put together historic buildings.
What a beautiful building!
I just love old buildings so Beautifully built, glad that they chose to reborn and save it.
How could anybody wants to knock that building down. It's crazy how people think even back in the day.
So glad that gem didn't suffer the fate of many beautiful old buildings in New York city. Great video!
Thank you for the tour. The court chamber and the floors are stunning!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much for sharing this with us!!! Well done!!!!💕
Amazing. So good that it wasn't demolished. What a beauty she is. 😍
Not that old man trying to gatekeep historical architecture. I'm glad this building was saved
I love old architecture like that. I’m so glad it’s still around. You should come up and see the Iowa Capital, sometime.
Thank you for the tour Caleb & Kim...
Wow! That building is phenomenal - I'm so glad its being saved. Thanks for bringing us with you on this tour. Love the history - so many cities have eradicated theirs 😢
Thank you for the tour. Love that building, inside and out!
Kim cracked me up waving! What a beautiful building! Glad it was saved
And you, sir, may be a spark in your neighborhood. You are definitely a spark in my hope to return to MY old house project.
John
How could anyone dislike such a monumental edifice of such grandeur and beauty? To replace it with a square cube! One thing that really strikes me about victorian buildings is the quality of constructon compared to today. Sturdy and beautiful and so grand. Modern court rooms: fugly, dark, no windows, 8 foot cielings.
Beautiful building, gorgeous floors!! The dome...wow! Thanks for sharing
Wow what a beautiful building please fight for that St. Louis!!✌🇺🇸
Its a beautiful building!!! I'm so glad it was preserved!👍😃. Thanks for sharing!😊
What a wonderful treasure!
The interior is remincent of the Iowa State Capitol building in Des Moines, which was built in roughly the same era.
They sure don't make 'em like they used to! A beautiful building and a beautiful channel
Thank you again
I used to go grocery shopping every few days at that Snucks, I never realized what the building across the street was. That's great that after around 80 years the court moved back in. I lived a few block away on Washington just across from the bowling alley. We had so much fun living in downtown for almost a year. Thank you all for highlighting some of these wonderful buildings.
Nice side trip!! Reminds me of my state's, Michigan, capitol building in Lansing. Another true Victorian masterpiece. Just like the St louis post office, they restored our capitol building too. Loved this video!! For those interested, check out the capitol building in Lansing! Built between 1871-8, it's more Italianate, but has wisps of Second Empire
style. The color pictures on Facebook are simply stunning! Thank you for showing us this!!! St Louis should be proud!! ( Have a connection to your city, my relatives lived there for 40+ years!!)
Thank you for the tour. That tile floor is beautiful
Thanks for the tour! I love all the old buildings in St. Louis!
I grew up in St Louis and moved in 1993 to California. I worked in the Railway Exchange Building for 8 years and was able to visit the Old Post Office in the very early days of it's renovation. I recall some lunch places on the main floor we would eat at. So glad it's being used by the court system again! Thanks for the video - very nostalgic.
My heart breaks every time that I hear one of these gorgeous buildings is leveled...and there are countless examples in every state. Super glad this one was saved. It's just stunning. Thanks for sharing and your passion for saving as well. Best wishes for the future.
What an amazing building! I can’t imagine it being torn down. Love those floors!!
A lot of the trim in that court room looks like yours!!! What an absolute gem of a building. I'm so glad the saved it & brought it new life.
Such an impressive building. How could they ever think about destroying it. So much beauty to look at and be reminded of the history. Thanks for taking us along. Luv all u guyz do. 💚💚
As soon as you showed it I thought it looked like "The Eisenhower Executive Office Building " next to the White House so I did a web search and sure enough same architect Alfred B. Mullett
I was raised in Northern Virginia, right outside Washington D.C. My dad would commute into DC each day to work at the U.S. Department of the Interior. Your comment brought me the warmest of memories, especially this week when I needed it.
Gorgeous, beautiful, regal, stunning -and- YUMMY! I love these old buildings and this one is awesome, as I said, 'yummy'! SO happy clearer heads prevailed and saved this building.
Merry Christmas🎄 Kaleb & Kim along with Your Families.
Will you share some of the Christmas🎄 Traditions that the Browns may have done in their home?
As well as what You & Kim are doing for Christmas?
What a fantastic building. The man from the 60's video wearing the hat and glasses is probably now the most hated person on this channel!! What a beautiful Civic space and I feel so lucky to have seen the interior, all the way across the Atlantic in Manchester. We have a similar tale to tell in Rochdale, 14 miles from Manchester, but the story goes the other way. The Co-operative Society was born in Rochdale. While the small, original Co-op shop is still intact, the impressive replacement building built in the town was torn down - yep, in the 1960's [probably spear-headed by your Hat Man], and lost forever. Long live the love of old buildings and thank you K & K for another fabulous video. Warmest Christmas Greetings to you both and everyone loving Victoriana on this channel.
Another great video. Can you imagine the mail that went through there. The renovations went well, adding outside lighting and saving that gorgeous stained glass, those tiled floors and the outside lamp posts. No longer, a "depressing factor" to your great city. To think, it helped jumpstart more than $300,00 in more renovations is just great. You can tell the sincerity in voice to help, as much as you can to preserve your beloved St. Louis. I am sure the lady in the video, did her part of pioneering the save of the old post office.
What a fantastic building. I walked by it several times when I was through St. Louis. Such a unique structure, I can't believe anyone ever thought it would be ok to destroy it!
So sad that people thought they should knock this down because it wasn't modern. The building was so well designed it''s still being used in 2021. The gorgeous floors, woodwork, windows, chandeliers, ceiling are so beautiful and to tear it down would have been a shame.
Wow, beyond beautiful. That is worth a trip over from the U.K to see and one day soon, hopefully I will. Thank you for sharing, because of you I have found a new love, thank you so much. I hope you both have a wonderful Christmas and the new year brings you everything you wish for. Hugs and kisses to your babies 😘 🐾🐾🐕
Incredible, thank you for the tour. Gorgeous building and Guide!!
Wow what an amazing building the floors are gorgeous, if we don’t see you before Christmas 🎄 have a happy holiday. St. Louis is so lucky to have preservationists keep so many historic buildings. The city I grew up in was Long Beach California and it was the largest growing building in the 1920’s. Originally built in 1897 there were a lot of grand buildings. It was known as the Queen of beaches, and visitors came to enjoy the beach from all over the country. The city had about 50 grand theatres from the silent era as well as the Balboa Film Studio, which was the original Hollywood of the silent picture era. All the old actors had homes near the beach. Unfortunately in 1932 there was a devastating earthquake which damaged most of the historic buildings and the city was rebuilt in the new Art Deco style. The city planners however have been very destructive and there are none of the theatres left and all of the charm the city had has been torn down and replaced with modern glass and steel structures. The original Pike amusement park was closed and demolished in the 70’s and that was the heart of the city. It was so sad seeing the city destroy so much of what was so grand and they put a breakwater out in the ocean which ruined what was once the greatest surfing spot in the world. Never let your cities treasures be torn down, it’s just devastating. Your friends ChuckandMax
Wow- can't imagine that not being there- so glad they saved it! In the big city near here (Charlotte, NC) most historic buildings have been razed to build freeways and parking lots. Nice to see the preservation in St. Louis. As to your house, keep it up, you are doing an amazing job! The small town I live in (York, SC) has some beautiful buildings that are still standing, waiting to be restored. Wish I wasn't so old, I would love to do what you are doing to one of those.
That was amazing, thanks for taking us along!
What a stunning building, thankyou for sharing this with us, absolutely love the minton tile floors, or at least that is what we call it in the uk, i myself have visited a number of china museums in and around the five towns (Tunstall, Burslem, Hanley, Stoke on Trent, Fenton, and Longton) as they were called and it is well worth visiting if you should ever find yourself in the uk. It's so nice to see the building got saved, sadly so much it my town was destroyed and still is sadly, just to be replaced with soulless boxes and concrete monaliths or being replaced with shopping centres 😐
Wow. So Beautiful. Thanks for sharing with us.
That beautiful, gorgeous n awesome building was unbelievable. What a great honor that has to be living in a city with such history n architectural design. Thank you so very much for sharing this massive post office. Loved it !
♥️♥️😊👍👍👍
That old post 📫 office 🏢 is so amazing! I'm so happy that they did not destroy it, it's a master piece of construction and beauty! 😊👍💕💕💕
It’s crazy to me how back in 1967 they were calling it *old post office* it was 94 years old then and now it’s 149 years old today. Blows my mind lol
That is one amazingly beautiful building. The architecture is outstanding! I am glad they decided to preserve it. I live in Massachusetts and we have tons and tons of beautiful buildings like that. This state is good for restoring and even repurposing our old buildings so they stay alive. If you are ever up here be sure to check out Worcester, Springfield, and Boston. Tons of history in this state. Heck even the towns are rich in history up here. No shortage of houses from the 1600's and forward in this state! ❤❤❤
Cool
This is a lovely building.Warmer then our cold modern architecture.