University City, Missouri

Main	Births etc

City of University City
—  City  —
Location of University City, Missouri
U.S. Census Map
Coordinates: 38°39′50″N 90°19′41″W
Country	United States of America
State	Missouri
County	St. Louis
Area
• Total	5.90 sq mi (15.28 km2)
• Land	5.90 sq mi (15.28 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation	528 ft (161 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	35,371
• Estimate (2012)	35,228
• Density	5,995.1/sq mi (2,314.7/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
FIPS code	29-75220
GNIS feature ID	0756828

University City (colloquially, U. City) is an inner-ring suburb of the city of St. Louis in St. Louis County, in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 35,371 in 2010 census.

The city is one of the older suburbs in the St. Louis area, having been a streetcar suburb in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries; much historic architecture remains in the southern, older portion of the city, particularly along Delmar Boulevard. The northern portions of the city, mostly developed after World War II, have more of a suburban feel with many shopping centers and other automobile-centered development.

University City has much municipal open space, dominated by 85-acre (344,000 m²) Heman Park (which includes recreation and community centers and public pool facilities) and Ruth Park (a public golf course and nature trails). The city has four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. The University City school district is separately managed from other school districts in the area.

Geography

University City's southern border is approximated by Northmoor. The eastern border is approximated by Skinker Boulevard. The western border is approximated by old McKnight (some of which is now Interstate 170).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.90 square miles (15.28 km²), all of it land.

The Delmar Loop, an entertainment, cultural and restaurant district, is located along Delmar Boulevard, parallel with and six blocks north of the northern boundary of the university. The city is also home to the University City Olive Link, known for its high concentration of East Asian businesses and considered as a replacement for Chinatown, St. Louis. The highest point of University City is the Western terminus of Delmar Boulevard, at the tri-border of University City, Ladue, and Olivette.

The city also contains part of Midland Boulevard, which divides the watersheds of the Mississippi River and the Missouri River. Headwaters of the River Des Peres start in the hills near the University City and Clayton boundary, which flows north, takes a strong turn at Ruth Park, then is controlled through underground tunnels as it passes through the city of St. Louis.

Highways

Major roads and highways in University City are I-170, MO-340, Delmar Blvd, Forest Park Pkwy, and Skinker Pkwy.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1910	2,417		—
1920	6,792		181.0%
1930	25,809		280.0%
1940	33,023		28.0%
1950	39,892		20.8%
1960	51,249		28.5%
1970	47,527		−7.3%
1980	42,690		−10.2%
1990	40,087		−6.1%
2000	37,428		−6.6%
2010	35,371		−5.5%
Est. 2012	35,228		−5.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

The city has long had a large middle-class Jewish presence. Jewish cemeteries and religious centers dot the city, such as Young Israel of St. Louis and Agudas Israel of St. Louis, serving University City residents and those of nearby Clayton, which also has a high concentration of Jewish residents.

The University City City Hall building

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 35,371 people, 16,154 households, and 8,484 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,995.1 inhabitants per square mile (2,314.7 /km²). There were 18,021 housing units at an average density of 3,054.4 per square mile (1,179.3 /km²). The racial makeup of the city was 50.8% White, 41.1% African American, 0.3% Native American, 4.3% Asian, 0.9% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.8% of the population.

There were 16,154 households of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.8% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.5% were non-families. 36.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.90.

The median age in the city was 37.4 years. 19.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.5% were from 25 to 44; 24.7% were from 45 to 64; and 16% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.6% male and 53.4% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 37,428 people, 16,453 households, and 9,114 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,363.1 people per square mile (2,457.7/km²). There were 17,485 housing units at an average density of 2,972.6 per square mile (1,148.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 49.26% White, 45.35% African American, 0.16% Native American, 2.85% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.56% from other races, and 1.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.56% of the population. The city is considered (by inhabitants) to be divided roughly into three zones from north to south. North of Olive is predominantly Black, from Olive to Delmar is mixed, and south of Delmar is predominantly White. Because of the city's racial composition, it has not been part of the integration busing program between the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County.

There were 16,453 households out of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.3% were married couples living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.6% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $75,902, and the median income for a family was $52,539. Males had a median income of $55,588 versus $45,440 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,901. About 9.5% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.1% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

History

University City was founded by publisher Edward Gardner Lewis, who began developing the location in 1903 around his publishing complex for Woman's Magazine and Woman's Farm Journal. Historic buildings associated with municipal operations, including today's City Hall, were built by Lewis as facilities for his magazine enterprise. In 1906, the city incorporated and Lewis served as its first mayor.

Education

The School District of University City operates public schools.

University City has one high school: University City High School. The city also has one middle school, Brittany Woods Middle School, and four elementary schools: Flynn Park, Barbara C. Jordan, Pershing and Jackson Park.

The district web site is http://www.ucityschools.org/

Culture

University City is home to the COCA, a center for contemporary arts that has a nationally recognized pre-professional dance training program, with alumni dancing for Trisha Brown, Cecil Slaughter, Houston Ballet, Ballet Hispanico New York, Mark Morris, Alvin Ailey, the national tours of Wicked and Cinderella, and Tarzan on Broadway.

University City has a public library, established in 1939, located at 6701 Delmar Boulevard. The library houses more than 150,000 volumes as well as music and spoken recordings, videotape and DVD collections, and numerous works of art. The library is open seven days a week, including five evenings.

Politics

• Mayor: Shelley Welsch
• City Manager: Lehman Walker
• Boards and Commissions
• City Council:
  • 1st Ward: Stephen Kraft, Terry Crow
  • 2nd Ward: Paulette Carr, L. Michael Glickert
  • 3rd Ward: Rodney Jennings

In July 2009, a group of residents calling themselves "University City citizens for Transparency and Accountability" said they would begin collecting the 2,233 signatures necessary to have the State of Missouri audit the City's finances. The City has been facing severe financial woes over the last few years and an attempt to balance the 2010 budget by creating a 0.25% sales tax was defeated by city voters on August 4, 2009. On February 25, 2012, the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) censured University City's City Manager Lehman Walker and barred him from future membership. According to the ICMA, the "Board found that Mr. Walker violated Tenets 2, 3, and 4 of the ICMA Code of Ethics."

Notable past and current residents

• Hallowell Davis (1896–1992), pioneer in studying the physiology of hearing, at the Central Institute for the Deaf
• Stanley Elkin, novelist
• Dave Garroway, host of many national TV shows in the '50's and '60' such as "The Today Show" and "Wide Wide World."
• Bernard Gilkey, New York Mets slugger
• Ken Hitchcock, head coach of the St. Louis Blues
• Ken Holtzman, Chicago Cubs pitcher who threw two no-hitters and won 174 games, the most by a Jewish pitcher
• Nelly, rapper
• Howard Nemerov, poet
• Robert Person, Mets pitcher
• Art Shamsky, Mets slugger
• Tennessee Williams, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright
• Ike Willis, singer and sideman for Frank Zappa from 1978 to 1988

See also

• Delmar Loop Trolley
• Louisiana Purchase Exposition, also known as the 1904 World's Fair
• 1904 Summer Olympics, held a short distance from University City, on the Washington University Campus

External links

• University City website