▁Park ▁neighborhood ▁was ▁" cut - off " ▁from ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁Soul ard ▁when ▁Inter state ▁ 5 5 ▁and ▁Inter state ▁ 4 4 ▁were ▁built ▁through ▁the ▁neighborhood . ▁The ▁area ▁fell ▁into ▁decl ine ▁even ▁while ▁Soul ard ▁was ▁maintained . ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁ ▁were ▁declared ▁bl ight ed ▁and ▁the ▁Saint ▁Louis ▁Land ▁Clear ance ▁for ▁R ede velop ment ▁Author ity ▁applied ▁for ▁a ▁federal ▁planning ▁grant ▁to ▁re h abil itate ▁the ▁neighborhood . ▁ ▁Federal ▁funds ▁were ▁approved ▁for ▁re develop ing ▁La S alle ▁Park ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 . ▁Br ick ▁side wal ks , ▁extensive ▁land sc aping ▁and ▁street ▁l amps ▁designed ▁to ▁mirror ▁those ▁that ▁were ▁in ▁the ▁neighborhood ▁many ▁years ▁prior ▁were ▁installed . ▁ ▁Property ▁throughout ▁the ▁neighborhood ▁was ▁sold ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁to ▁both ▁individuals ▁and ▁developers ▁who ▁were ▁willing ▁to ▁restore ▁homes ▁and ▁business es ▁or ▁to ▁build ▁" in - fill " ▁houses . ▁These ▁structures ▁are ▁so ▁named ▁because ▁they ▁are ▁designed ▁and ▁built ▁to ▁match ▁or ▁res emble ▁the ▁surrounding ▁architecture . ▁Through ▁the ▁efforts ▁of ▁R al ston ▁Pur ina ▁and ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁St . ▁Louis , ▁an ▁Urban ▁Ren ew al ▁Plan ▁and ▁Gu idel ines ▁for ▁u ph old ing ▁the ▁integrity ▁of ▁the ▁neighborhood ' s ▁properties ▁was ▁established ▁under ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁La S alle ▁Park ▁R ede velop ment ▁Corporation . ▁ ▁The