Steph Kukuljan
Welcome to Brick City, a weekly newsletter about development from across St. Louis. Every Wednesday afternoon, I share recent stories and exclusive insights about the projects and people impacting our region.
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Railway Exchange owner cuts security
The Railway Exchange Building, as photographed on Sept. 18, 2023.
The absentee owner of downtown St. Louis' Railway Exchange Building is no longer paying for security to help keep the vacant property secure. And unsurprisingly, people have found ways in ... like through the front door.Ìý
The 1.2 million-square-foot building is a public safety hazard. The city said as much when it condemned the property in January through an emergency order, and this past spring, a fire department search and rescue dog died at the property. A security firm that used to patrol the building reported finding people living there as well as other crime and mayhem. The building and its owners are also entangled in a major legal mess that has made it harder for any redevelopment to occur.Ìý
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I discovered the open doors while on a walk Monday afternoon and was struck by how brazen it was. The Railway Exchange, at 615 Olive Street, is in the heart of downtown's central business district and is catty-corner from the offices of Greater St. Louis Inc., which has made downtown a focus of its efforts.Ìý
A spokesman for the city said the mayor's office is talking with "key stakeholders" about solutions.Ìý
But he declined to explain what that means.Ìý
Clear skies for Boeing
The St. Louis County Council approved $155 million in tax breaks for Boeing Co.'s proposed $1.8 billion expansion here, in a vote that few council members were happy about,Ìýaccording to my colleague Kelsey Landis.Ìý
Boeing sought the incentives to help it better compete for more federal contracts, the company said. But the ask came at a bad time politically for the council, which had voted against tax breaks for senior citizens aimed at helping some stay in their homes.
"I do believe Boeing has been a staple of this community,†said Councilwoman Kelli Dunaway, who voted against Boeing's incentives. “But I think that these types of incentives have turned this country, this county, the world we live in, into a game that is stacked up against the working families that we’re trying to protect by passing this bill.â€
Another one lost to history
The Mullanphy Emigrant Home in north St. Louis burned down last week, taking with it a major part of St. Louis' cultural history, according to my colleague Jacob Barker.Ìý
Built in 1867, the Mullanphy Emigrant HomeÌýwelcomed Irish and other immigrants to what was then a booming frontier river city. But decades of neglect threatened the future viability of the building.Ìý
Preservationists said that the city could have used its “demolition by neglect†ordinance to stabilize the historic property. But Barker received no response from city officials as to why they didn't use it.Ìý
Just Announced
Reporter's Notebook
“There’s no offer or deal. I’d say conversations have been fairly limited.â€
— Paul Zemitzsch, spokesperson for Chris Goodson, owner of financially troubled grocery chain Fields Foods. Goodson had previously said he was selling the grocery chain to an employee-led group.Ìý
You can read more of the story from my colleague Hannah Wyman (our new retail reporter!) here.Ìý
