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Thank you for your interest in Old North...

Old North St. Louis Restoration Group is committed to revitalizing the physical and social dimensions of the Old North neighborhood in a manner that respects the community's historic, cultural, and urban character.  We rely on the active involvement of Old North residents and strong support from outside partners.  If you know of anyone else who would make a good partner or supporter of our work here, please forward this message to them via the link at the top of this page and let us know how we can get in touch with them.

Friday Evening Art Exhibit Opening Reception

Please join us Friday, Nov. 9 from 6-9 p.m. at the Old North St. Louis Restoration Group's Gallery, 2700 N. 14th Street, for the opening reception of Missouri Immigrant and Refugee Advocates' 3rd annual art exhibition.  This year’s exhibit will include work by local New American photographers Juan Montana and Amelia Sinangic, along with historical photos curated by Danny Gonzales of the Missouri Historical Society. The event is free and open to the public. Click HERE for a larger view of the flyer.

Old North Residents Weigh In on Proposed Branch Street Improvements & Trestle Plans

On Thursday evening, Great Rivers Greenway brought out plans, maps, and drawings of proposed improvements to Branch Street from N. 14th Street to the Riverfront Trail and images of plans for the conversion of the former Iron Horse Trestle into an elevated hiking and biking trail.  Full details and images of these plans will be posted in the next day or so at ONSL.org/blog.

Plans for New School & Dog Park Discussed at October Neighborhood Open Meeting

Among the highlights of ONSLRG's Neighborhood Open Meeting on Oct. 25:

- A presentation by Vela Hermann on the possibility of a dog park in Old North, including sites that might work, features of a good dog park, and how neighbors can get involved with the planning;

- A presentation by Amber Simpson who is leading an effort to establish a new sustainability-focused charter school that may open in Old North in 2014.

The next Neighborhood Open Meeting will take place on Thursday, November 29 at 6:30 p.m. and will feature presenters with information about financing for home rehab projects.

Mark Your Calendar Now: Saturday, Dec. 1 - Holidays in Old North Winter Craft Market

Back by popular demand, the Holidays in Old North Winter Craft Market is scheduled for Saturday, December 1 from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. at 2718 N. 14th Street (the former Parks Drug Store building) at the southeast corner of N. 14th & St. Louis Avenue. So far we have 24 vendors lined up to offer a variety of items to satisfy your holiday gift needs.  Please help us spread the word. Click HERE for a downloadable flyer.

Another Successful Halloween in Old North

Thank you to all of the neighbors and businesses who participated in Old North's warm and friendly Halloween celebration.  Hundreds of children were able to enjoy treats from and activities at dozens of sites around Old North that were on our map of trick or treating spots, including Northside Workshop (pictured here), where visitors could take part in mask-making activities, the ONSLRG office, Old North Grocery Co-op, La  Mancha Coffeehouse, Rambles, Closet Repeats, and many more businesses and homes.

Makeover Planned for Crown Square Corner

Thanks to the initiative of David Stiffler of the Equifax Foundation and a commitment of talent, resources, and volunteers from Rebuilding Together St. Louis, plans are in the works for improvements to the plaza area at the southwest corner of N. 14th and St. Louis Avenue.  The space is owned by the Crown Square partnership of ONSLRG and RHCDA.  New elements will include more seating with tables and umbrellas, a stage area for public performances, and a children's play area. Current features, such as bike racks, benches, and the information kiosk, will remain at the site.  Stay tuned for more details. Although planning is already under way, construction work will take place in the spring. ONSLRG has received a $5,000 grant from the Regional Business Council to cover a poriton of the project's cost. 

Old North to Benefit from Competition Seeking Creative Ideas for Vacant Lots

Old North St. Louis has been selected to be the pilot neighborhood for a new initiative seeking creative ideas for sustainable uses of empty land in the city.  The Sustainable Land Lab competition, sponsored and led by Washington University's Office of Sustainability and the City of St. Louis, is an open call for proposals from anyone who wishes to participate - and take responsibility for implementing their ideas. Six lots in Old North have been identified, 4 of which will be selected for 2 year demonstration projects based on the ideas submitted. For more information, including competition guidelines and a schedule of deadlines (with the first round materials due to submitted by Dec. 1), click HERE. The competition was launched on Nov. 2 at the Contemporary Art Museum, as part of Washington University's Sustainable Cities Conference.

On a related note, the City of St. Louis has released their Draft for Public Review of the first ever citywide Sustainability Plan. Please take a look by clicking HERE - and be sure to let city officials know what you think.  Written comments will be accepted on the City's Sustainability Plan through November 14th on the Sustainability Plan website. 

Thank you to our volunteers!

This past weekend we were happy to receive some volunteer assistance with litter patrol from students brought to us by Episcopal Church of the Ascension on Lucas & Hunt.  The group was led by Rev. Dr. Marc Smith and referred to us by Rev. Jon Stratton of the Episcopal Service Corps, with both Rev. Smith and Rev. Stratton joining in the work.  Thank you to all.  If you would like to help out with some of our work, take a look at some our volunteer opportunities by clicking HERE.

Upcoming Neighborhood-Focused Events, Workshops & Lectures

  • Sat., Nov. 10:  Negotiating Through Conflict: Tools for Resolving Disputes in Your Community  - Part of UMSL's Community Partnership Project's series of non-credit sessions related to community-building.  For information and to register, click HERE
  • Thurs., Nov. 15: Neighborhood Change in St. Louis: What’s Happening, Why It Matters, and What We Can Do About It  - at UMSL Grand Center;  first in a series of forums exploring why strengthening neighborhoods is important to regional growth and how the region can support communities. This forum is free and open to the public, but reservations required. For information and to RSVP, click HERE.
  • Sat., Nov. 17: Art Show at La Mancha Coffeehouse, featuring "We Are People" by Old North resident Jessica Neal. The event starts at 5 pm. and will also include ONSL resident Joe Eisenbraun playing a short acoustic set. For information, watch for details at La Mancha's website HERE.
  • Wed., Nov. 28: State of Neighborhoods: Challenges & Opportunities.  This seminar is a kick-off for the new “What’s Brewing?” community dialogue series exploring the issues, opportunities, and connections for St. Louis area neighborhoods. Panelists will include Todd Swanstrom, Des Lee Professor of Community Collaboration and Public Policy Administration, UMSL; Jessica Eiland, Associate Director, Skinker DeBaliviere Community Council; Reginald Scott, Executive Director, Lemay Housing Partnership; and Sean Thomas, Executive Director, Old North St. Louis Restoration Group.  For more information and to register, click HERE.  

As always, your support can help!

As a not-for-profit organization with an extremely tight budget, we always could use additional support to continue our work and improve our effectiveness as we pursue a rather ambitious agenda.  Feel free to stop by our office to make a contribution in person or you can make a donation online by clicking HERE.  Thank you again to all who continue to make our work possible!