Built St. Louis: Vanished Buildings
AVA Building

This Art Deco-trimmed building had an elegance that seemed almost absurd amid the scarred streets, aging factories, and vacant lots that typify the area east of Midtown. A fire destroyed most of it around 1996 or so; demolition crews did the rest.

But while this building was destroyed, the one behind it has undergone a remarkable transformation.

In the top photo, circa 1996, the building in the background is a complete eyesore, seeming to lack any architectural merit.

What a difference a good rehab can make! In August 2000, the old warehouse building has been superbly transformed and is now in productive use. Yes, that is the same building. Huzzah!

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