St. Louis

Neighborhoods & red brick

Victorian streets, walkable inner suburbs, and the brick that built them.

St. Louis is a city of neighborhoods, each with a distinct architectural character shaped by the city's brick-building heritage. The red-brick streetscapes are the result of vast clay deposits under the city that made brick so cheap even working-class homes were built of it. Skilled European masons created elaborate brick mosaics on home facades that are unique to St. Louis. Saint Louis Bank Blog

Lafayette Square was designated the city's first historic district in 1972 and contains roughly 375 restored Victorian homes — predominantly Second Empire style with mansard roofs — surrounding Lafayette Park (1836), the oldest public park west of the Mississippi. City of St. Louis

Soulard is one of the oldest residential districts in the city, densely packed with two-story brick row houses built at the street on narrow lots, primarily in Federal, Italianate, and Second Empire styles. It is home to the oldest farmers' market west of the Mississippi. City of St. Louis

The Central West End was named one of the American Planning Association's "Great Places in America" for its pedestrian-oriented design, with 112 city blocks of sidewalk cafes, boutiques, historic streetscapes, and a dense mix of early-20th-century mansions alongside new high-rise construction. APA, 2014

The Hill's Italian-American character is a direct result of the brick industry: Italian immigrants arrived in the 1880s specifically to work in the clay mines and brick factories, eventually building a self-supporting community with its own churches, shops, and social clubs. Interstate 44 construction in the early 1970s destroyed 98 homes and isolated 450 residents. City of St. Louis

Tower Grove South and Tower Grove East feature consistent rows of two-story brick homes bordering Tower Grove Park (1868) and the Missouri Botanical Garden (1859). City of St. Louis

Inner-ring suburbs like Kirkwood — platted in 1852 as the first planned suburb west of the Mississippi — and Maplewood offer historic downtowns, streetcar-era brick housing stock, and Walk Scores high enough to support a car-light lifestyle, at price points generally below comparable city neighborhoods. Islands.com · Maplewood MO

Caveats: Historic district designation means exterior alterations, new construction, and even paint colors may be subject to preservation board review. City of St. Louis Many historic brick homes require significant maintenance: tuckpointing, foundation work, and updating outdated mechanical systems can be costly. The age of housing stock (often 100–150 years old) means lead paint and asbestos are common concerns. Saint Louis Bank Blog Walkability varies dramatically block by block — while some neighborhoods score high, others remain car-dependent for groceries and daily errands. Inner-ring suburbs like Kirkwood and Webster Groves, while walkable in their cores, have seen rising home prices and teardown-rebuild activity that is eroding some historic fabric. Kirkwood MO