Renovating and Restoring East St. Louis, Illinois (Belleville, O'Fallon: crime, how much)

[LindaGrace]

It's mind-boggling to me that that prime real estate just sits there mouldering. It's a stone's throw from downtown St. Louis, with light rail already in place. What an easy commute to work each day, and what an easy way to hop over to the city to enjoy a ballgame, the nightlife, the zoo, the park, the art museums, etc., etc. You'd think developers would be all over ESL.

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by LindaGrace

It's mind-boggling to me that that prime real estate just sits there mouldering. It's a stone's throw from downtown St. Louis, with light rail already in place. What an easy commute to work each day, and what an easy way to hop over to the city to enjoy a ballgame, the nightlife, the zoo, the park, the art museums, etc., etc. You'd think developers would be all over ESL.

Maybe the developers think that it would be difficult to rent and sell homes and apartments in one of the most dangerous cities in the United States:
East St. Louis, Illinois - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[bhj867]

Originally Posted by karlsch

Maybe the developers think that it would be difficult to rent and sell homes and apartments in one of the most dangerous cities in the United States:
East St. Louis, Illinois - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It's that damned if you do, damned if you don't mentality that is going to turn ESTL into dust too if something isn't done soon. They might have to do something drastic like move most of the impoverished out of the area, set them up on some government works program and completely do an overhaul. Get the people there busy working on something big like a new bridge or something or force them to move out of the city. Then while the thugs and pimps are busy Clean the place up. just an idea

[LindaGrace]

Originally Posted by karlsch

Maybe the developers think that it would be difficult to rent and sell homes and apartments in one of the most dangerous cities in the United States:
East St. Louis, Illinois - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yes. I lived in St. Louis for six years and in the Metro East for two. I understand the issues with E. St. Louis.

However, as bhj865 says, it's damned if you do, damned if you don't. There MUST be something that can be done other than quoting statistics about how awful it is over there.

[STLMetro]

Originally Posted by TeriDavisNewman

I am running for Congress in the 12th Illinois district and ESL is part of my district. I am doing lots of research to see what I can do to help the people of ESL as your current Representative Jerry Costello isn't doing anything. Please email me with suggestions as I am going to win this election and there won't be waste like Mid-America airport--but I am going to bring ESL into the 21st century and get rid of the blight--it is the top of my priority list after the election!

If you plan on helping out E. St. Louis, I hope you have a big D next to your name. Otherwise, forget about it. You won't even get in the door down there. And how do you plan on fixing up this peach of a city? I hope you are a wealthy individual, because everyone in the county above the bluff will stone you if you put their money into that city. Most people from the area have roots in E. St. Louis or used to live there and are very unhappy with what has become of it. The problem is, they don't want to see it get better because in their minds they already throw their tax dollars down there for the people who can't get their stuff together, have more kids than they can support, and are living on the state. And they blame everyone living there currently for destroying the city. It's much the same problem that North county (St. Louis) has with North St. Lous. Many of them will say they were "forced out" of their neighborhoods. Whether they were or not is not the issue, it's getting them to reinvest in the city, which will never happen.

[TeriDavisNewman]

Originally Posted by Scio42

Hope you are successful, it would be great to see a renaissance of ESL. Do you have specifics on how to revive ESL?

Yes. I want to wire the city for low-cost (to the residents) high speed internet access. It's not the cost of a computer that keeps it out of the hands of the kids there--it's the ongoing 100-125 a month for high-speed internet access that the parents can't afford. The state THROWS AWAY computers that could be easily refurbished and given to kids in ESL. Have you ever seen any kid that didn't love a computer? Then they come home from school to homework help and information and they are doing homework and learning instead of being out on the street with nothing to do and all afternoon/evening to do it. They become educated and employable and break the cycle of poverty--it gives these kids a chance at the American dream!!

[TeriDavisNewman]

Originally Posted by karlsch

Maybe the developers think that it would be difficult to rent and sell homes and apartments in one of the most dangerous cities in the United States:
East St. Louis, Illinois - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That's why they need good cops and a lot of them--take back the city!
Yes. I want to wire the city for low-cost (to the residents) high speed internet access. It's not the cost of a computer that keeps it out of the hands of the kids there--it's the ongoing 100-125 a month for high-speed internet access that the parents can't afford. The state THROWS AWAY computers that could be easily refurbished and given to kids in ESL. Have you ever seen any kid that didn't love a computer? Then they come home from school to homework help and information and they are doing homework and learning instead of being out on the street with nothing to do and all afternoon/evening to do it. They become educated and employable and break the cycle of poverty--it gives these kids a chance at the American dream!!

[TeriDavisNewman]

Originally Posted by STLMetro

If you plan on helping out E. St. Louis, I hope you have a big D next to your name. Otherwise, forget about it. You won't even get in the door down there. And how do you plan on fixing up this peach of a city? I hope you are a wealthy individual, because everyone in the county above the bluff will stone you if you put their money into that city. Most people from the area have roots in E. St. Louis or used to live there and are very unhappy with what has become of it. The problem is, they don't want to see it get better because in their minds they already throw their tax dollars down there for the people who can't get their stuff together, have more kids than they can support, and are living on the state. And they blame everyone living there currently for destroying the city. It's much the same problem that North county (St. Louis) has with North St. Lous. Many of them will say they were "forced out" of their neighborhoods. Whether they were or not is not the issue, it's getting them to reinvest in the city, which will never happen.

I've been there campaigning and 95% of the people there want change--no one would choose to live like that--in fear all the time!! The casino is a double-edged sword--they get tax revenue but people gamble away their money hoping for a big win to GTHO of ESL. The people are good people and need a hand UP not a handout! AS far as being a Democrat, I'm a Republican and it doesn't define me. I was always taught that it's the person, not the party--and I've always tried to do the right thing. People in ESL that I have talked with see me for the person I am, not the R after my name on the ballot!! What have the Democrats done for them other than USE them for their votes? A big steaming cup of NOTHING is what they've gotten! How could I POSSIBLY make their lives worse? At least with me they will have HOPE and a chance which is more than PAC-tool Jerry gives them!

[TeriDavisNewman]

Originally Posted by LindaGrace

It's mind-boggling to me that that prime real estate just sits there mouldering. It's a stone's throw from downtown St. Louis, with light rail already in place. What an easy commute to work each day, and what an easy way to hop over to the city to enjoy a ballgame, the nightlife, the zoo, the park, the art museums, etc., etc. You'd think developers would be all over ESL.

Once the criminal element is removed and the blighted buildings are torn down, people will come. I've seen a lot of cities turn around places like ESL and I've seen how it's done.

[TeriDavisNewman]

Originally Posted by STLCardsBlues1989

A lot of St. Louis is being reused and revitalized. Does anybody know of projects currently going on in East St. Louis? If you could change something about East St. Louis, what would you change?

Here's some of what could be changed, although this site mostly chronicles the bad, not the good.
Built St. Louis: East St. Louis

Yes. I want to wire the city for low-cost (to the residents) high speed internet access. It's not the cost of a computer that keeps it out of the hands of the kids there--it's the ongoing 100-125 a month for high-speed internet access that the parents can't afford. The state THROWS AWAY computers that could be easily refurbished and given to kids in ESL. Have you ever seen any kid that didn't love a computer? Then they come home from school to homework help and information and they are doing homework and learning instead of being out on the street with nothing to do and all afternoon/evening to do it. They become educated and employable and break the cycle of poverty--it gives these kids a chance at the American dream!!