Those familiar with St. Louis neighborhoods are probably also familiar with the concept of gentrification. The latest episode of the We Live Here podcast, “Paved over Histories”, tackles this issue with its eye on the west St. Louis County community of Westland Acres.
“In St. Louis there [are] a lot of conversations about historic black communities that have been lost, and we thought this one [Westland Acres] was really interesting because it exists right now, and they’re fighting to not go down the path as some of these other communities that have been paved over, so to speak,” St. Louis Public Radio’s Kameel Stanley said in a conversation with host Don Marsh on Thursday’s St. Louis on the Air.
Stanley, a co-host/producer of We Live Here, explained gentrification is exemplified with the former neighborhoods of Mill Creek Valley, Laclede Town and Meacham Park.
“They don’t want to become like some other neighborhoods in the St. Louis region where they’re talked about, they’re mourned … The area where that Target and Trader Joe’s is in Brentwood – that used to be a middle class black neighborhood.”
As the fate of Westland Acres is currently undecided, Stanley said, “We don’t really know what’s gonna happen next.”
Support for We Live Here comes from the Hammond Institute for Free Enterprise at Lindenwood University.
St. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. St. Louis on the Air host Don Marsh and producers Mary Edwards, Alex Heuer, Evie Hemphill and Caitlin Lally give you the information you need to make informed decisions and stay in touch with our diverse and vibrant St. Louis region.
