Soulard Star Directory 2025

✯ SOULARD STAR DIRECTORY | 2025 28 READ BEFORE YOU REHAB! The charming secret gardens, pear blossom-canopied avenues and bustling Soulard Farmers Market are not the only elements of visual interest within our well-known community.As anyone can see, we are surrounded by renowned architectural beauty. The character, size and quantity of the relatively unaltered historic buildings within the Soulard Historic District make our area unique. Our neighborhood is distinct for the manner in which its historic buildings relate to one another and to the street, for its cross section of architectural styles, and for its uniformity of historic construction. The combination of these physical characteristics and the importance of Soulard in the historical development of the city of St. Louis serves as compelling reasons for preservation. The establishment and enforcement of controls over exterior architectural features within the Soulard Historic District will ensure the ongoing historical value of our neighborhood.At the same time, such controls attempt to reasonably accommodate contemporary design and lifestyles in order to maintain and improve the quality of life of those living in the district. Therefore, the Soulard Historic District Standards have been developed to establish clear and consistent requirements which govern the visible exterior architectural features within the district.These supplement the city’s building code and any applicable ordinances establishing standards pertaining to the construction, maintenance and repair of buildings located within the district and the areas surrounding such buildings.These standards should not be interpreted as giving any relief from, or as constituting an abandonment of the city’s building code or any applicable city ordinances.All new construction and exterior alterations to existing buildings in the Soulard Historic District must adhere to these standards and be met in order to obtain building permits from the city. The Plan ReviewTeam (Code & Zoning) is a resource for residents, property owners, builders, developers and designers completing work on buildings within the district.They provide review for projects, guidance for changes and new construction, and input on zoning concerns. They are also a resource for the city’s Cultural Resource Office, which is responsible for the oversight of historic districts. A copy of the Construction and Restoration Guidelines for the Soulard Historic District is available on the SRG website, soulard.org, or by calling the hotline 314-621-6226. You may also contact the committee for review or guidance by leaving a message on the hotline. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS HISTORIC HOME CODES The city of St. Louis Preservation Board and the Cultural Resources Office make up the city’s preservation agency. Below is a list of frequently asked questions about the process to update and rehabilitate a home in a historic district in the city of St. Louis. WHAT IS A HISTORIC DISTRICT? A historic district is an area or neighborhood that is important because of historic events, its architecture or cultural significance, or a connection to the lives of the people who lived there. A historic district must meet other requirements: • Buildings and structures within the district generally must be at least 50 years old • The number of demolitions or new buildings has not altered its historic appearance • District resources should be similar in style, massing, detailing and/or date of construction • The buildings in the district must retain their original architectural character • The area must have clearly defined boundaries THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF HISTORIC DISTRICTS: • NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICTS The National Register is a nationwide list of buildings or areas certified by the Secretary of the Interior as important architecturally, historically or culturally. Individual buildings and those in a district are eligible for Federal and Missouri state tax credits for rehabilitation and tax deductions for easement donation. Listing a building on the National Register does not trigger local review of changes to the building unless the project is federally funded. continued on page 30