Firmin Desloge Hospital

Firmin Desloge Hospital is a hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, opened in 1932 by the Jesuits of Saint Louis University and the Sisters of Saint Mary.[1] Named for the benefactor, Firmin V. Desloge, it was established to serve the poor and others in need.[2] Located on Grand Avenue between Vista Avenue and Rutger Avenue, Firmin Desloge Hospital is today the main hospital building of the St. Louis University Medical Center.

Firmin Desloge Hospital 2015

History

Creation
Firmin Desloge plaque

In February 1930, St. Louis University received a $1 million bequest ($15,304,781 today[3]) from the estate of Firmin Vincent Desloge,[4] a member of the Desloge Family in America, who provided in his will, funds for a hospital to serve St. Louis University and to replace the old St. Mary's Hospital, both in St. Louis.[5] Desloge's wife, Lydia Desloge (née Lydia Holden Davis), donated another $100,000 to build a chapel next to the hospital.[6]

The building was designed by Study, Farrar and Majors, with Arthur Widmer, in the Modern Gothic Revival style. Construction began in the fall of 1930, with an estimated cost of $1.25 million.[7] Archbishop John Glennon formally laid the cornerstone of the hospital on June 22, 1931.

The 250-foot structure rises ten stories above a high basement, and reflects the Modern Gothic Revival style. The basement and first two stories are covered with ashlar limestone, projecting out from the building at the center and end blocks. These projections display Gothic pointed-arched openings and flat, slender pilasters; the central projection has a monumental porch with compound arches. Above this three-story base, the building steps back, its five divisions composed of narrow piers with double hung windows and brick spandrels. The building is crowned by a steeply pitched hipped roof of copper-covered lead, pierced with wall and roof dormers in a variety of configurations.[8]

The building was dedicated on November 3, 1933. At the ceremony, Desloge's son Firmin (III) noted that the roof was covered by lead, the source of the family's fortune, and said, "That’s a good cap on things".[9]

Desloge Chapel at Desloge Hospital

Its chapel, Desloge Chapel, was designed by the Gothic revivalist architect Ralph Adams Cram, appointed with stained glass by Emil Frei[10] and sculpture by John Angel,[11] and consecrated later that year.

Operation

Operated under the auspices of the Sisters of St. Mary, the new hospital had 206 beds: two-thirds were double-occupancy rooms and the rest private rooms — a departure from the open wards of the day.[2][12] In keeping with the Desloge family dedication to service and advancement, Firmin Desloge Hospital was also specifically for African Americans, and served as a nursing school for African American women.[13]

In 1959, administration of Firmin Desloge Hospital shifted completely to Saint Louis University. At this time, Firmin Desloge Hospital, the Bordley Memorial Pavilion and the David P. Wohl Sr. Memorial Institute were collectively renamed Saint Louis University Hospitals.

In 1983, the Desloge family gave money to illuminate the peaked copper roof to mark the hospital's fiftieth anniversary.[14]

Continuous growth and the need for modern facilities and equipment resulted in the construction of a new hospital facility as an addition to the original structure. This new part of the hospital was built directly behind the old Firmin Desloge Hospital at a cost of $39.1 million. The first patients moved in on January 30, 1988.

In 1998, Saint Louis University sold the chapel, along with the hospital, to Tenet Healthcare Corp., a for-profit chain based in Dallas.[15]

In 2015, the university bought back the hospital, then gave it to SSM Health, "the Creve Coeur-based health care system sponsored by the Franciscan Sisters of Mary, formerly Sisters of Saint Mary.[15][16] The facility will become SSM St. Louis University Hospital.[15][17]

The hospital tower continues to serve the hospital as physician offices and administrative space. The original copper-covered roof remains a St. Louis landmark and is a distinctive part of the City of St. Louis's skyline.

Future

As of October 2015, SSM Health was planning to spend $500 million to rebuild and expand the hospital. Various media reported that the options under consideration include demolishing the 1933 hospital tower; SSM officials say they have not ruled that out.[18][19][20] Desloge scion Christopher Desloge has launched an effort to preserve the hospital building and chapel that his family helped build,[21][22] perhaps by adaptive uses including, for example, a museum to the African American experience in healthcare and nursing in St. Louis.[23][24]

The preservation of the hospital is supported by the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects,[25] the Les Amis historical organization,[26] and the Landmarks Association of St. Louis, whose executive director said, "In the pantheon of St. Louis architecture and signature buildings, these are really way up there."[27] The executive director also asserted that the building would be "considered eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and classified as "High Merit" under the terms of the St. Louis City Preservation Ordinance (64689)".[28]

In February 2016, a letter urging the hospital's preservation was sent to SSM from 31 groups, including the Landmarks Association, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Missouri Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, Preservation Research Office, American Institute of Architects, Foundation for Commercial Philanthropy, Sam Fox School of Architecture and Design at Washington University, US Representative Russ Carnahan, the Society of Architectural Historians, and numerous neighborhood associations and alderpersons.[29] Separately, the Foundation for Commercial Philanthropy proposed to lease several floors of the tower to a nonprofit incubation center, seek millions of dollars in historic tax credits, and launch a campaign to raise $15 million to $20 million.[30][31] Desloge and Landmarks Association of St. Louis director Andrew Weil say this would eliminate the financial burden on SSM.[32]

In May 2016, the Landmarks Association called Firmin Desloge Hospital and Chapel the city's most endangered historical buildings.[33]

In September 2016, the St. Louis City Planning & Urban Design Agency’s Planning Commission convened to evaluate SSM's presented plans to save Desloge Tower in which the owners proposed to be rehabbed to accommodate medical offices.[34] "A representative of SSM Health stated that while no decision has been finalized, it is “highly likely” that 15-story French Gothic Revival Desloge tower will be converted to office space".[35]

In November 2016, St. Louis University released to the St. Louis Planning Commission a $750 million redevelopment plan for 400 acres in midtown St. Louis, an area which encompasses Desloge Hospital Tower. Uses within the area include medical and educational uses including offices and training facilities for those in the health care and life sciences; classrooms and related instructional, laboratory, research, hospice, nursery and day care spaces; and pharmacy facilities. Office facilities for private, public and non-profit institutions, businesses and agencies; research facilities. The planning commission unanimously approved the plan.[36] According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the iconic Firmin Desloge tower along Grand Boulevard appears safe for now. The plan doesn't call for tearing it down.[37]

References
  1. "Timeline of Saint Louis University". Saint Louis University. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  2. "Saint Louis University Timeline". slu.edu. Archived from the original on June 5, 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  3. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  4. the original, fully executed bequest documents in the possession of the Missouri Historical Society Archives, St. Louis, MO, Joseph Desloge Collection
  5. The Society of Architectural Historians, Missouri valley Chapter, Volume XIV, Number 2, Summer 2008, page 5. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-02-26. Retrieved 2014-02-23.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. This second gift was reported by the Globe-Democrat on February 15, 1931 (archives of the Globe Democrat, Mercantile Library, St. Louis, MO)
  7. "New Hospital for St. Louis: Firmin Desloge Unit to be Housed in 13-storey Structure". The Southeast Missourian. August 1, 1930.
  8. "The World's Fair City-Hospitals and Social Service Buildings". stlouis-mo.gov. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  9. The Desloge Chronicles
  11. "St. Patrick's Cathedral - New York City, New York Baldachin & High Altar - Statues designed by John Angel". [email protected]. Archived from the original on April 3, 2010. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
  12. Our St. Louis Hospitals, Ray M Knefl, Souvenier of the 37th Annual Convention of the American Hospital Association, 1937. St. Louis County Library, Reference dept. R 977.866 K68S
  13. The History of Health Services in Missouri, John C Crighton, Barnhartt Press, Omaha, Neb., 1993, page 227
  14. St. Louis University Hospital Newsletter [printed], Article: "Rededication", Fall 1983, St. Louis University (library) Archives
  15. Liss, Samantha (September 1, 2015). "The deal is done: St. Louis University Hospital is now part of SSM Health". St. Louis, Missouri. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  16. Samantha Liss, "Hospital deal will bolster SSM, SLU Hospital." St. Louis Post-Dispatch. June 2, 2015.
  17. Post-Dispatch, Samantha Liss St Louis. "SSM looks to St. Louis University Hospital to boost brand power". stltoday.com.
  18. Liss, Samantha (September 8, 2015). "Will SSM tear down the old Desloge Tower?". St. Louis, Missouri. Saint Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  19. Whittington, Geoff (8 June 2015). "SSM Health Planning for Massive Development at SLU Medical Campus". NextSTL.
  20. Post-Dispatch, Samantha Liss St Louis. "SSM Health announces plans for new $500M SLU hospital". stltoday.com.
  21. Post-Dispatch, Samantha Liss St Louis. "Will SSM tear down the old Desloge Tower?". stltoday.com.
  22. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-10-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  23. KMOX Radio Interview with Christoper Desloge, aired Dec. 8, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAwvpXWUMSQ
  24. Samantha Liss, St. Louis Post Dispatch, February 2, 2016. http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/desloge-offers-ideas-to-ssm-to-preserve-slu-hospital-tower/article_2d1e33ce-bbda-5a7e-9f6b-6bb7b6e82840.html
  25. Letter dated November 23, 2015 from Michelle C Swatek Executive Director St Louis Chapter AIA to William P Thompson President and CEO SSM Health 10101 Woodfield Lane St Louis Missouri, copy of letter at Landmarks Association of St Louis,
  26. Letter from Les Amis to SSM, October 25, 2015
  27. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-07.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  28. Weil, Andrew and Christopher Desloge (Winter 2015). "Landmarks Letter" (PDF). Landmarks Letter. Landmarks Association of St. Louis. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  29. Landmarks Assn Stakeholders Signatories to SSM
  30. Post-Dispatch, Samantha Liss St Louis. "Desloge offers ideas to SSM to preserve SLU hospital tower". stltoday.com.
  31. Ihnen, Alex (2 March 2016). ""A Brief Plea" Submitted For Preservation and Reuse of Desloge Tower". NextSTL.
  32. Duffy, Robert W. "What to do with Saint Louis University Hospital's building? A great-grandson has a proposal". news.stlpublicradio.org.
  33. Moffitt, Kelly (April 26, 2016). "What are the 11 most endangered historical buildings in St. Louis?". St. Louis Public Radio. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  34. "Log In or Sign Up to View". www.facebook.com.
  35. Alex Inhen, NextStl, , accessed 9/9/2016
  36. St. Louis University News, accessed 11/16/2016
  37. Barker, Jacob. "SLU plan calls for demolition of Pevely Dairy building, saving Desloge tower". stltoday.com.

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