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Dan Jameson and his wife, Mia Jameson, bought the former St. Lucas Church grounds in 2004, intending to turn it into a home. However, once they got a good look at their investment, the two realized that they were in over their heads. The three-building complex, at the corner of Allen and Gravois in Soulard, consists of the church, an old schoolhouse and a vacant building across the street. The Jamesons set out to find other ways of using the property. They decided that the schoolhouse for the church, built in 1898, had great potential as a concert venue, and in late February 2006 they began renovating the 4,500-square-foot building. The Lucas School House Music Hall officially opened on June 2. Mia, originally from New York City, is a former jewelry designer, and her experience and background in design came in handy during the renovation. The vacant building became a private club called the Lucas Club, where members can meet the bands, both local and national, who come to play at the schoolhouse. The 1,400-square-foot patio, built over what was the schoolhouse parking lot, makes for a generous space. Eventually the Jamesons hope to cultivate a 20-foot-tall wall of evergreen trees around it as a screen. Next on the list for renovation is the church itself. Built in 1886, it still has many of its original stained-glass windows, and the Jamesons are eager to open this facility within the next few years as a larger—but not only musical—venue.
Lucas School House, 1220 Allen, 314-621-6565, www.lucasevents.com
