Emily Rauh Pulitzer, curator of the St. Louis Museum of Art and Steve Trampe of Owen Development, are spearheading a plan to transform a block near St. Louis's theater and museum district in the area of Grand Center. This project, (according to a story published on a local news site in St. Louis) is "a blank palette” and "an opportunity to take an entire block and make it different.”
The project is currently led by local architects Axi: Ome. Tatiana Bilbao has also confirmed her participation, in what should be an interesting addition to St. Louis's local architectural heritage. In an interview with Vladimir Belogolovsky, she explained that she considers that the legacy of Mexican architecture should expand to other sites:
Mexican architecture has a very important legacy. It is important for me to make a statement about that and teach others about who we are.
Other world-renowned architects are being recruited to participate in the design of the section of land comprised mostly of vacant land on Olive Street from of Av. Vandeventer to Av. Spring. According to Trampe, the new plan will provide 17 buildings and 23 homes, as well as a 20-unit apartment building; construction is slated to begin once the permits and approvals of the city are available.
The average estimated cost of the new housing units will be $ 400,000. As part of the plan, the group also seeks to modify the existing building of the Henry L. Wolfner Memorial Library for the Blind. Built in 1898, the library has been closed for years and once had the largest collection of books in Braille. It will be transformed into a clubhouse with sports equipment.
