They are building six new homes just a few blocks east of the Compton Heights neighborhood in Compton Hill. These new homes look to be mostly infill housing, but it seems there are a few lots adjacent to each other. Here is a rendering of the development.

I've seen the ads for these. Nice looking project for a great upcoming area.

There was an article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about an open house this weekend for Russell Place.



What: Two new freestanding houses and four town houses.

Price: $255,000-$299,900.

Where: North side of the 2800 block of Russell Boulevard, between Fox Park and Tower Grove Heights.

Seller: DeSales Community Housing Corp.

Architect: Heine & Croghan

Builder: C.F. Vatterrott

Open house: 1-4 p.m. some Sundays in December.





Here is a link to the article:



<A HREF="http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/s ... ng-awaited Russell Place makes debut[/b]</A>

By Patricia Rice ot the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Monday, December 06, 2004



While many area residents are visiting homes decorated for the holidays as part of neighborhood improvement groups' house

tours, residents of a neighborhood on the Near South Side are excited about another kind of open house. After 28 years, the

community's nonprofit development group has built its first house, at 2819 Russell Boulevard. <A HREF="http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/s ... B">[b]read more[/b]</A>

I love seeing this kind of infill being built around town, but man, do they pale in comparison to that old house being rehabed on the corner!

I think they look good from these pics.

They have many of the right elements for infull except for one glaring thing: they're out of scale! Look how short they are compared to the house undergoing rehab as well as the structure to the left. It's not good infill if they don't fit in with what's around them. At least they're all brick, or appear to be and not the cheap looking vinyl clad structures with a "shucks, no one looks at the sides anyway" brick front.

I'll reserve judgement until the project is finished. I think a differential in height can be a good thing. Plus, it really keeps the onus on the right houses in the neighborhoods to be well kept.

Glad to hear mostly positive reviews on the rehab house. Some background on it is that they wanted the rehab to stand out from the new homes. You would have been amazed to see the inside of the rehab before the work really got started. We really love the house. Also, this group of houses is in Fox Park not Compton Heights (but very close).

My sister was in from Florida (hasn't been to St. Louis in 12 years) and we were driving around the city showing her all that's going on, and we passed by here. I thought they looked out of scale compared to the house under rehab when I first saw them in the photos posted here, but after seeing them first hand, they look great and fit in fine. Hope we see more of this kind of infill in the city!!

The lots to the right of the rehab house have gotten the approval to build. I think I was told they would start in the new year. I sure hope so since I want neighbors soon. They are also listed on www.cbgundaker.com. Anyone looking for a new place?



Cheers!

Marmar, I am glad you liked the houses. I think they look good, but I haven't seen them in real life. And they appear to look nice from all sides, which is welcome in new infill.

sushiq wrote:Also, this group of houses is in Fox Park not Compton Heights (but very close).

You are right, but I don't see that anyone said they were in Compton Heights... the title mentions the new homes being in the Compton Hill Historic District and the first post in the thread says they are a few blocks east of the Compton Heights neighborhood.

What impressed me is that they were all brick...and of a rich color, typical of St. Louis. I see your point, Xing, and I agree. However, if they had vinyl siding on the sides, they'd never fit in, IMO...but if you've seen any of my posts on how I feel about vinyl siding, well, then you know how I feel about that.

Rehabbed house is finished. They should break ground soon on the townhouses in the open lot.



Cheers!

I'm anxious to see the townhouses. The developer has remained "true to St. Louis" with the single family houses.

The new build next to the rehab is for sale in case anyone is interested. The house is actually a very nice size with tall ceilings. The rehab looks so big because of the 13 and 14 foot ceilings on the first and second floor and the hill it is on.

I recently drove the length of Russell from Broadway to Grand. What a great street! There are some real gems I wasn't familiar with. And the new infill really does look better in person than in the photos.

I live on Russell, and it is a gorgeous street. The only problem is the median that was put in between Nebraska and Jefferson that makes the lanes uncomfortably narrow for bicyclists. Considering that it's a Bike St. Louis route, it should be wider.



The new houses on Russell really do look good. I saw someone putting advertisements on the remaining lots last weekend, so it looks like there will be more coming soon.

Bellevegas - where do you live on Russell? I am also on Russell. We love the neighborhood.

I live more towards Grand, in one of the several wonderful 1960's era apartments that were built where majestic mansions once stood. But who needs those old things anyway?

Sushiq, your neighborhood made St. Louis look good on TV last night (Nightline). I am jealous!