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Tuesday, April 4, 2006

Update on Turnverein and Mullanphy Buildings

The Building Division has issued emergency orders of condemnation for the Nord St. Louis Turnverein and the Mullanphy Emigrant Home. These orders would bring about demolition. The Building Division is waiting a few days before proceeding to see if staff at the city's Cultural Resources Office or other interested parties can put together plans to stabilize both buildings. These plans inevitably involve changes in ownership, and normally cannot be effected too fast.

If you can help, call the Cultural Resources Office at 314-622-3400.

The owner of the Mullanphy Emigrant Home, Paul Hopkins, does not want the building to be demolished. He is interested in any reasonable offer for his building. To arrange to make an offer, please call Sean Thomas at the Old North St. Louis Restoration Group at 314-241-5031.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rather than saying he'd be interested in "any reasonable" offer, he ought to say what he wants for the property.

A developers idea of a reasonable price is usually a lot different than what the owner of a (severly) distressed property thinks.

The problem for the owner is that if he doesn't do something fast, instead of owning something of some minimal positive value, he will own something with significant negative value - given the debt he will owe the city for the cost of demolition.

He probably won't agree, but in the final analysis, it will likely show that he would have been far better off taking a few grand for the place and just walking away.

Michael R. Allen said...

I agree. Hopkins is going to have to take a loss to get out of big troubles.