It's been a while since I've been to St. Louis, but I think some of those vacant buildings might still be standing. Maybe not those specific buildings, but there were quite a few vacant buildings in 2004.
sharethere are more now than before, st louis is really an up and coming town...they filmed parts of escape from new york here as well...
shareI can see the St. Louis University Hospital on the horizon in some of the "Slum Clearance Area" scenes. It's off toward the west, meaning that this area was around Lafayette Square. Some of the buildings that look like empty dumps are now restored and larger ones might be selling for as much as half a million dollars. The Victorian house behind the picket sign looks like it might have been at Lafayette Square or one of the surrounding districts (only the roofline is shown). Most areas south of downtown are still pretty seedy but the south side is on the upswing generally. This film is a must-see for anyone who lives in this city.