Category: Century Building

Categories
Century Building Downtown Parking Streets

Old Post Office Short on Parking Spaces

by Michael R. Allen

The new “old” curbs are in, the sidewalks are being paved and the vintage light standards are up at the Old Post Office in St. Louis. One thing is clear: there will be no on-street parking on the Old Post Office block when the renovation is done.

Really, for a project whose backers are so paranoid about insufficient adjacent parking, it’s a huge embarrassment that there is no actual street parking on three sides of the Old Post Office block itself. Such parking would be convenient to people wanting to stop in at one of of the Old Post Office shops and would form a protective buffer between sidewalk diners and through traffic on Olive, Ninth, Locust or Eighth streets. Assuming any of those people ever show up.

Categories
Century Building Demolition Downtown

Century Building Lawsuit Update

From Roger Plackemeier:

A number of people recently have been asking me how my lawsuit of the Century is going, so I want to give all who are interested a quick update. I disclaim upfront that I am not an attorney and so my legal vocabulary might not be perfect.

First a sentence or two of background. In 2004 Marcia Behrendt, Marti Frumhoff and I took legal action regarding the demolition of the Century Building. The Century Building is gone. Earlier this year the defendants in our lawsuits….MDFB (state), LCRA (city) and the two development firms (Stogel and Schnuck)….filed a malicious prosecution suit against Marcia and me (Marti’s case is still a live one so she was not included). They’re suing us for $1.5M+.

Two hearings have been held in front of Judge Steve Ohmer of the 22nd Judicial Circuit. The first was a month or so ago. The plaintiffs in the malicious prosecution case filed a motion to have our attorney, Matt Ghio, disqualified from the case. Judge Ohmer has not yet ruled on this hearing.

The second hearing was this morning. Marcia and I filed a motion for summary judgement. My non-legal explanation is that if the judge rules in favor of our motion, he is saying the case should go no further. I don’t know when he’ll rule on this hearing, but I can’t imagine it’ll be quickly given the amount of work he has in front of him.

If anyone is interested in my opinion on how the case is going, feel free to contact me privately. If you’re interested in how the plaintiffs think this case is going, read the Business Journal. In the meantime, I presume your tax dollars are paying for some rather hefty legal fees for the state and city.

[Roger can be reached at placker@excite.com.]

Categories
Century Building Demolition Downtown Historic Preservation

Century Building Demolition Started One Year Ago Today

by Michael R. Allen

Demolition of the Century Building at the behest of a determined group of polical actors began one year ago today. At least, the ceremonial wrecking began. The developers of the Old Post Office project that claimed the Century ordered their wreckers to gouge out parts of the building’s corners the night prior to a hearing on a restraining order against a demolition.

I’m sure readers know the story, but the loss of the Century Building and the ongoing attack on civic participation, tacitly endorsed by the Slay administration, still hurts pretty badly. Although I have to say that many good people opposed to the demolition met each other and made lasting and creative relationships through it. The opposition has taken the death and made life from it, while the some players on the other side seems to be mired in the quicksand of destruction. We have celebrations and friendships, and they have that hideous sinking parking garage with the cheap, cheap stucco and granite cladding so offensively displayed at Ninth and Olive. To say that they “won” would be very difficult indeed.

I should also note that our blog is one year old this week, as more testament to the fact that very good things were emerging when demolition began.

Categories
Century Building Downtown Historic Preservation Media Mid-Century Modern

“Form Over Function” Transcript Available

CBS New Sunday Morning has posted a transcript of this morning’s program, Form Over Function, which featured preservation battles over Edward Durrell Stone’s 2 Columbus Circle building in New York, historic homes in the Chicago suburb of Kenilworth and the Century Building in St. Louis.

Categories
Century Building Downtown

Work Resumes on Shoppe/Garage Structure

by Michael R. Allen

Work resumed at the Century Building Memorial Parking Garage on Wednesday, when I took this photograph. When I was there, the workers were drilling and also working on the elevator shaft structure rising on the southeast corner of the site.

Categories
Century Building Demolition

Progress?

The site of the Century Building on July 15, 2005

Image taken by Robin Hirsch from the neighboring Art St. Louis Gallery, 917 Locust Street, Third Floor.

Categories
Century Building Downtown Events

S.S.

Guess who dropped in for the Downtown Defense Fundraiser last weekend…

Categories
Century Building Downtown Events

Help Our Friends

Dear Fellow Citizens:

As you know, the National Register-listed Century Building in downtown St. Louis was recently demolished to make way for a parking garage. We thought this tragic demolition was the end of an ugly chapter in St. Louis’ history. Now, it’s gotten uglier.

Before the demolition, two Downtown residents, Marcia Behrendt and Roger Plackemeier, took principled action to try to save the Century Building. They were plaintiffs in two legal cases that sought to keep this historic building as part of our architectural heritage. But the buildings came down anyway.

Now, the City of St. Louis, the State of Missouri and the project developers have filed a lawsuit against them, alleging malicious prosecution — and seeking actual damages exceeding $1.5 million, plus punitive damages “in an amount sufficient to deter said defendants and others from like conduct.”

Should the City, State and developers prevail, Marcia and Roger could lose all of their assets. Just to defend themselves will cost tens of thousands of dollars in legal costs, even if lawyers donate some services.

Marcia and Roger stood up for us and for our community. Now, it’s up to us to stand with them.

You can help in one of two ways:

— Write a check for any amount to help with legal costs. Make it payable to Downtown Defense Fund, and mail it to:

Downtown Defense Fund
c/o Scott Kluesner, Treasurer
7480 Cornell Avenue
St. Louis MO 63130

Funds received by the end of June are most important.

— Attend a free fundraiser on Saturday, June 25, 7:30 p.m. at Gallery Urbis Orbis, 419 N. Tenth Street. Bring cash or check in any amount to add to the pot, and enjoy music and good food and the company of people who care about our architectural heritage. No need to purchase tickets — but please do RSVP to mmnewman@earthlink.net so we can plan refreshments.

Let’s show our support for preservation and for citizen action. Let’s show it big.

Best regards,

Margie Newman
Amanda Doyle
Fundraising Co-Chairs, Downtown Defense Fund

PS Note that donations are NOT tax-deductible. Should the lawsuit be resolved before the money raised is spent, remaining funds will be donated to a group or groups dedicated to architectural preservation.

Categories
Century Building Downtown Events

Fundraising Effort Announced to Defend Downtown Residents Sued by City, State

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2005

SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI — The National Register-listed Century Building in downtown St. Louis was recently demolished to make way for a parking garage — but that didn’t end the contentious battle between downtown residents, who sought to save the building, and the developers and government officials who wanted it demolished.

“We thought this tragic demolition was the end of an ugly chapter in St. Louis’ history,” said Margie Newman, one of the organizers of the Downtown Defense Fund. “Now, it’s gotten uglier.”

Before the demolition, two Downtown residents, Marcia Behrendt and Roger Plackemeier, were plaintiffs in two legal cases that sought to keep the historic building standing. But the buildings came down anyway. Now, the City of St. Louis, the State of Missouri and the project developers have filed a lawsuit against them, alleging malicious prosecution — and seeking actual damages exceeding $1.5 million, plus punitive damages “in an amount sufficient to deter said defendants and others from like conduct.”

Should the City, State and developers prevail, Behrendt and Plackemeier could lose all of their assets. Just to defend themselves will cost tens of thousands of dollars in legal costs, even if lawyers donate some services.

The Downtown Defense Fund, formed by neighbors and fellow citizens, is asking for help in raising funds to help cover those legal costs. Those wishing to donate to the Downtown Defense Fund can write a check for any amount to help with legal costs.

Checks should be payable to Downtown Defense Fund, and sent to:

Downtown Defense Fund
c/o Scott Kluesner, Treasurer
7480 Cornell Avenue
St. Louis MO 63130

Or, donations can be made through PayPal at www.downtowndefensefund.com.

Donations are not tax-deductible. Should the lawsuit be resolved before the money raised is spent, remaining funds will be donated to a group or groups dedicated to architectural preservation, Newman said.

The group is also hosting a fundraiser on Saturday, June 25, 7:30 p.m. at Gallery Urbis Orbis, 419 N. Tenth Street. Admission is free, but those planning to attend are asked to RSVP to mmnewman@earthlink.net. Attendees are asked to bring cash or check in any amount for the Downtown Defense Fund.

“Marcia and Roger stood up for us and for our community. Now, it’s up to us to stand with them,” Newman said.

###

For more information, contact Margie Newman at 314-241-4950.

Categories
Century Building Demolition Downtown Historic Preservation

Architectural Record Coverage of the Century Building Demolition

The Architectural Record covers the controversy:

“Critics Say National Trust Helped Doom Renowned St. Louis Building”