Vacant Land

Urban farmers are trying to buy vacant lots for their farms to bring fresh, healthy food and green space to their neighborhoods, but they face challenges in acquiring that land.

There are almost 25,000 vacant houses, commercial buildings and land plots in St. Louis, and about 60% are privately owned. Some nuisance properties can be a blight on communities, so neighborhood associations have been trying to acquire them or compel owners to fix them.

Community leaders in the Baden neighborhood of north St. Louis are going to court to claim vacant houses for potential new homeowners.

The nonprofit is also purchasing its first property in the next six months to transform into a park.

Thaddeus Gerdine maintains more than 60 vacant lots in the city of St. Louis. “They just seemed like no one was taking care of them,” said Gerdine, who…

Updated at 5 p.m. to include comment from Paul McKee — St. Louis–area government agencies have begun fining Northside Regeneration developer Paul…

The St. Louis Development Corporation has kicked off a campaign of town hall meetings aimed at improving its public image.SLDC executive director Otis…

A volunteer effort to clean up north St. Louis neighborhoods is getting a big lift from local construction companies.Better Family Life began the “Clean…

The city of St. Louis has more than 25,000 vacant and abandoned properties, attracting crime and arson, lowering property values and reducing tax revenue…

The two-story brick home at 3735 California St. got a second chance.The property, owned by the city of St. Louis' Land Reutilization Authority, was slated…