Developer Joseph Cyr has been trying to assemble the funding for a multi-use apartment building at the corner of Boland and Dale in Richmond Heights — Boland Place.
The council approved Cyr’s development on March 3, 2016. In February 2017 the city council gave him a 6-month extension. He’s had more extensions since then.
On Monday Cyr told the city council he’s chosen a general contractor, but construction is being held up by the OK from his lender. When Mayor Jim Thomson asked Cyr when he expected to begin, Cyr said in the summer.
Richmond Heights Mayor Jim Thomson responded that he has giving him extensions of 45 and 90 days, and if there isn’t a bulldozer digging holes on the property by the next Richmond Heights council meeting, on June 5, then he wants the fences down, the lot leveled and grass planted.
Cyr had no response.
My family lived across the street from West Richmond School and the former Lutheran church for 40 years. It may not have been great scenery but now it’s just a vacant pile of dirt with a stupid looking fence. Thanks to Mayor Thomson for setting a deadline!
I would love to find a universal designed house in RH, otherwise we will probably end up way out in the county, as I can’t handle the steps in our bungalow much longer. There is definitely a gap in the STL market for wheelchair accessible housing with the doorways, faucets, counters, etc. to accommodate.
Mr. Thompson was my principal early on in my teaching career. Great man, does pull any punches. More respect for him than ever now. Love when men have convictions and stick to them.
When are they going to clean up the mess on Eager Road East of Evo apts. and turn the street lights on again. I thought they were suppose to clean up the place since they are not building at the present and the pile of dirt is still there.
Thank you, Mayor Thomso , for standing up to this developer. This whole project was absurd from the get-go. This is going exactly how I thought it would.
I agree. At this point with all of his delays and troubles with financing why would the city want him to build anything? I certainly wouldn’t trust that he won’t cut corners, they are going to have to have inspectors practically living there to make sure things are done right. The bottom line here is that this was way too ambitious of a project for someone who didn’t have the personal wealth to finance more of it. I would bet you it’s only stubborn pride that has kept him from walking away from this.
How large is the property and how many homes could you fit on it? I am not talking McMansions but the smaller bungalows like the neighborhood has. Put a bunch of 50 ft lots in there with a 30 ft wide by 50 ft long home and you have a 1500 sq ft home. Make the restrictions that they must look like some of what is around there so they look like they belong. May a few 2 story or even a few 2 family units it there. You now have homeowners investing more into the community.
I would absolutely buy that house. It would be a great place to live.
Totally agree!
All we need is a new developer to come in with a plan and the money to do so. See if the city would let you use tax abatements for individual homes or give a little on things like they often seem to do when the big company comes in and starts to demand they play ball or they will go to another city that wants them to show up.
When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans Lowes came up with a bunch of house plans to build the typical narrow long houses that they are used to there. They were called Katrina Cottages. If I recall correctly they even had it set up if you wanted plan 3 you told them and they put together all the parts and pieces you needed to be able to build it. Not everyone is interested in a 4000 sq ft house and a 10000 sq ft yard. Lots of families have lived in homes where the family might not have as much room as some think we have to have now. So why not build 25 or more homes in that location if there is that much room.
Nice! Shame on the city council for letting it get this far!
Wow… Well kudos for the Mayor for standing up for Richmond Heights. This situation has been a disaster from the beginning. Many of us said til our faces were blue that this was way too big of a risk. Looks like the banks agree with us after all.
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