On April 10, 1923 the City of University City passed Ordinance #800 establishing the "Alta-Dena" Subdivision development by the Alta-Dena Realty Company. Alta-Dena is "bounded on the East by the West line of U.S. Survey No. 378 (now Jackson Ave.), on the West by Hanley Road, on the North and South line of Jackson Park and West Jackson Park (now Stratford Ave.) and on the South by the City Limits (University Dr.) Construction began in 1923 with a majority of the homes being constructed between 1925 and 1930.

The original indenture was filed and recorded with the St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds on April 9, 1923. Over the years, the indenture has been amended six times: 1928, 1951, 1971, 1976, 1999, and 2022. The neighborhood has a Board of Trustees consisting of five members elected at the annual meeting. Each Trustee serves a 3 year terms which are staggered. Each year, one or two trustee positions expire; elections are held at each annual meeting in September.

The original indenture established the Alta-Dena neighborhood as a "first class" neighborhood and accordingly, the subdivision was built according to the "first class" building code of University City in 1923: all structures are to be made from brick or stone. Over the years, all new construction houses have also been built to that high standard which has helped to preserve the character and integrity of what is now a historic University City neighborhood.