The Forest Park Southeast Rehabber’s Tour took place on Saturday, September 15. The tour was not a conventional one; rather than showing pristine, expensive (and intimidating) homes, this tour had a dose of realism. It highlighted homes that were just at the beginning stages of rehabbing, homes and apartments that could be rented at affordable prices, and homes that residents had been working on their own for several years without professional help, despite challenges of sleeping in a partially completed home, or living on take-out and peanut butter sandwiches while kitchen-less. (But hey, at least there is a growing amount of take-out in the neighborhood’s Grove business district.)
The tour started at 4240 Manchester, available commercial space that is currently being rehabbed. The property has been dubbed “This Could Be… A Coffee Shop” due to the expressed interest of residents and patrons alike that a Manchester coffee shop with long hours was direly needed. (That doesn’t mean we can’t all love existing Forest Park Southeast cafe La Dolce Via, too, and crave their delicious scones all the time.)
Properties on the tour included a mix of properties for rent and for sale, in progress, completed, or not yet rehabbed, along with a compilation of multi-family, shotgun homes, apartments, and single-family homes.
The tour also highlighted the recent investment in properties in the southern portion of Forest Park Southeast. A few attendees dared to ask “why did you choose to invest here? What’s the risk?” Rehabbers attested to a solid community that has its challenges, but at the end it’s all about working together. Crime has decreased dramatically, the neighborhood is growing more beautiful by the day, and there is an increased interest in people moving into all parts of the neighborhood, which is a benefit both for developers as well as individual residents who will see their own investments paying off, as well as a neighborhood continuing to grow in stability.
The tour itself drew attendees from the neighborhood itself who were interested in learning more about the surrounding rehabbing community, as well as people from St. Louis City neighborhoods and St. Louis County, considering a move back into the City.
Did you miss it? Interested in getting more information? Visit here and check out this year’s program, which has a listing of all properties and contact information, in case you want to live here, too!
To view more photos from this year’s tour, click here.
