Discover Lafayette Living Today - Historic Homes, Great Neighbors, and a Vibrant Community

Recently, a prospect relocating to Saint Louis, Missouri, asked a simple and direct question - What does Lafayette Square have to offer me?  Well, I could and did explain to the prospect the economics of this market.  That is, it is a strong and stable market with increased sales and consistent price appreciation in good and bad times.  In addition, I explained interest rates are at historic lows, supply is tightening and pricing remains favorable to purchasers. However, these are only some of the reasons to purchase a home in Lafayette Square.  When you focus only on price considerations, you sometimes miss the "human" dynamic.  Lafayette Square offers a great lifestyle - a walkable neighborhood with a vibrant business community (often your neighbors).  So, instead of "telling" the prospect of the benefits of this wonderful neighborhood, I decided to show the prospect the neighborhood.  As they say a picture is worth a thousand words.

LAFAYETTE HISTORIC DISTRICT

Lafayette Square was established as a National Historic District in 1979.  The Lafayette Square neighborhood is one of the oldest neighborhoods in St. Louis.  There are over 375 Victorian homes in the neighborhood that have been renovated and preserved.  Although the neighborhood is closely associated with its "Painted Ladies", the neighborhood also showcases a variety of architectural styles - including French Second Empire, Romanesque, Italianate, Queen Anne and Federal designs.  When you walk along the tree-lined streets of the neighborhood, it is hard to miss the rich architectural details of the homes.  In addition to the historic homes, new homes - both conversion and in-fill projects - have been designed and constructed to pay homage to this rich architectural heritage while offering all of the amenities associated with contemporary living.

LAFAYETTE PARK

The crown jewel of the Lafayette Square neighborhood is Lafayette Park.  This 30-acre Victorian park, a part of the original St. Louis Commons land grant, was set aside for future park uses in 1836 and was dedicated as a public park in 1851.  The park has always been an integral part of the neighborhood.  It offers walking paths, picnic areas, ball fields, two pools or ponds, playground equipment, and other amenities commonly found in a public park.  But Lafayette Park is more than a great recreation facility - it is a meeting place for the residents of Lafayette Square and is home to such events as the summer concert series, summer movies in the park, Perfectos old-style baseball, the Taste of Lafayette, and is the starting point for the Tour de Lafayette bike race and the house and parlor tours.  It is where neighbors go to meet their neighbors.  Lafayette Park has always benefited from a strong public-private partnership and this continues today with the hard work of the Lafayette Square Restoration Committee and the Lafayette Park Conservancy.

PARK AVENUE PLAZA - FOUNTAIN SQUARE 

In 2001, neighborhood leaders spearheaded a drive to establish a tax increment finance district to fund public improvements in the Lafayette Square neighborhood including brick sidewalks, bike lanes, period streetlights, public parking lots and other improvements.  However, the first, largest and most significant public improvement was the Park Avenue Plaza.  In the heart of the vibrant neighborhood business district, there once stood an auto salvage yard.  With the vision of community leaders and use of TIF financing, the site was acquired and a new plaza with landscaping, fountain, and sitting areas was  created.  It serves as a beautiful back drop to the adjoining restaurants and businesses, a meeting place for residents, and has been known to be used for impromptu games of bocce.

NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICT

When you live in Lafayette Square, you discover the secret pleasure of walking to dinner.  In Lafayette Square, you won't find national franchises - but you will find a vibrant local business community.  

From the coffee shop to restaurants to the art glass store to the pet boutique to salons and spas to antique stores to development companies, real estate brokerages, and law firms, you will find that the owners and employees of these small businesses often share a common characteristic - they also live in the neighborhood.  So buying local isn't just a slogan, here it is a way of life.

Although the focus of the post is to discuss why you should purchase in Lafayette Square, it does focus too much on the neighborhood amenities.  In reality, the park, fountain, businesses, etc. can be found in a number of neighborhoods.  But, Lafayette Square isn't just about buildings or neighborhood amenities, it is about the community.  In Lafayette Square, you will find active and involved neighbors.  The real secret is that, in addition to a wonderful home, you also get great neighbors. 

Discover Lafayette Living today! 

When you are ready to look for a new home in Lafayette Square, contact Ryan Shaughnessy/Preservation Real Estate Advisors by telephone at 314-971-4381 or by e-mail at ryan@gilded-age.com.  We look forward to the opportunity to assist you in you new home purchase.

Note:  The opinions and statements contained herein represent my personal opinions and observations.  These blog entries are not reviewed, endorsed or approved for publication by Gilded Age, L.L.C., Gilded Age Sales, L.L.C. or Preservation Real Estate Advisors, L.L.C.