New Orleans In St. Louis

Change is going on in St. Louis, Missouri.

The city is experiencing a rebirth of it's older buildings. There are some dedicated people who are taking up the concept of Retronomic Development and giving new life to an historical area right in the heart of the city.

One place that has become a rallying spot for this new idea of re-purposing existing buildings is  Cafe Ventana.

Located next to the western entrance to the grounds of St. Louis University. This New Orleans style bistro brings the feel of the French Quarter to the city. The building has been remolded and refashioned with recycled doors, chandeliers and gas lamps all from the Crescent City. They even used reclaimed bricks from the rebuilt St. Louis waterfront for pathway cobblestones in their alley.

They have also embraced local sustainability by contracting with local growers using their fresh produce for the menu items. Most of these dishes are from local recipes.

The vast majority of municipalities are quick to allow an owner to remove old buildings and make way for new ones that would fit the needs of a restaurant better. St. Louis sees other ways are possible.

Reusing existing buildings for new functions can usually cost more in construction and planning because the layout has to fit the building and not the other way around.

Developers and builders know that, in most cases, it takes more

resources to build "New" than to re purpose what is existing. What cities and towns are beginning to realize is that repurposing what already exists is a valuable asset to neighborhoods. This way of Green Building can save historic buildings from the wrecking ball and help a city keep it's historic icons intact.

Cafe Ventana's owners are to be congratulated for their vision in bringing this restaurant to the area. This spirit of reuse, recycling and sustainability is becoming more mainstream everyday.

So, the next time you are in St. Louis, meet me at Cafe Ventana.