GOV
Utilities Structures
Two utilities produced structures identified as individual property types during the World's Fair period. The first was the St. Louis Water Works (see Period II), which greatly expanded its facility at Chain of Rocks Park. Water Intake Tower No. 2 was constructed in the Mississippi River in 1913, from designs by Roth and Study. The structure is built of white limestone, in the Renaissance Revival style. Elliptical in plan, with rounded ends, the building has a central entry flanked by banded columns, under a semi-circular transom; a projecting cornice surrounds the building. An attic story, pierced by small windows, is broken by a square tower with quoins and pedimented windows. Roofs are sheathed in green slate.
Electric Plants and Generators
Constructed from designs by Charles H. Ledlic, the Ashley Street Powerhouse is the main power plant for Union Electric. In contrast to its function, the brick building is an ornate example of Renaissance Revival design, constructed for the newly formed Union Electric Light and Power Company in 1902. Tall, multi-light industrial sash windows are stacked into multi-story bays, separated by decorative Ionic pilasters supporting a series of heavily-molded arches. Overscaled ornament in the form of projecting pediments, brackets and dentilled courses enliven all four facades of this industrial building constructed on the riverfront.
A much smaller example of the same property type is the Art Deco style Substation No. 23, built at 710 North Fifteenth Street in 1931. A one story building, it presents an ashlar stone facade of five bays, with stepped pilasters between tall, narrow window openings. Ornamentation is restrained, and confined to sculptural cartouche-like ornament centered above each window, and the window grills themselves, which are elaborately geometric metal designs.
