Joseph Cyr, who hopes to build a multistory apartment building with retail on the first floor at the corner of Dale and Boland, told the Richmond Heights City Council on Monday that according to his resources, he can start construction in September.
The council approved the development on March 3, 2016. In February 2017 the city council gave Cyr a 6-month extension. When asked why he hasn’t started, Cyr said he couldn’t give an answer in public.
Resident Paul Lohr said in the hearing that it was interesting that the “12-inch long grass” on the site was finally cut a day before the council met.
Cyr said there had been a miscommunication between him and a company he had hired to cut the grass and only the perimeter had been cut up to now, and that in the future all the grass would be cut three times a month.
Mayor Thompson told Cyr that he hadn’t been following a city ordinance about the upkeep of the site, including two large holes, and he expected Cyr to comply.
See also: Delay not out of the ordinary: Boland Place apartments, Funding plan approved for apartments
Also in the meeting, the council had the first hearing of an ordinance that would allow the Schnucks in Richmond Heights to sell beer growlers to be filled there. Local craft beer would be available.
Mayor Thomson said City Manager Amy Hamilton had given him an assignment to visit a Schnucks on Hampton Avenue where growlers are filled.
Two things come to mind 1) I do not understand how the city isn’t looking beyond that block and wondering about the intersections of Dale at both Big Bend and Hanley handling the traffic… Both lights are terrible, especially attempting to make a left on either of them from Dale. With the existing businesses and developments at both those intersections, it would be nearly impossible to correct the lack of arrow turns. I do not see how any business beyond some sort of small convenience stores would survive as store fronts buried in the middle of a residential area. and 2) Just Give up on apartments!! Build a few houses, maybe even a small townhome community– they’d sell before they are even completed as has every flip and new build in the area. A house being built that backed up to hwy 40 went for more than asking before it was even completed — that story is the same all over all three of our cities! Families want to move into the area and are paying good money to do so! There are plenty enough apartments of all price ranges in Brentwood, Maplewood and Richmond Heights for those that want them….Updated and little to no work homes, in our centrally located communities are what people are desperate for!
I agree. What good is giving a deadline if it gets rescinded every time it arrives? And, what will change for the developer that will make him financially sound in September? Something needs to be done with that site yesterday. If you’re going to set a deadline, then expect all parties to abide by it including the city.
I think we need more burger chains on/around Hanley & 40 so we can create a regional powerhouse #burgerdistrict #loveburgers #yum #saltybois
This project will eventually start, will be finished and will contribute to the transformation of Dale Ave into more of a multi-use main street in the heart of Richmond Heights, exactly what the city is seeking to do. Someday Dale Ave will be more like N. Kirkwood Road, in the business district of Kirkwood, with condos, more new apartment buildings, restaurants and bars, coffee shops and retail businesses. It will be very different and hopefully most Richmond Heights residents will consider this a good place to live; for convenient shopping, with places to have fun and will also be successful in increasing the density of population, which is something we need for RH to prosper and to provide services to all our residents. Whether you like it or not, it is going to happen, so try and enjoy the ride! The good news is your property values should only rise, so you will have the option to sell, make some money and move somewhere that works better for your interest.
It will increase traffic and congestion at already one the worst intersections in the metro area and destroy the residential ambiance of a lovely neighborhood with its monolithic featureless scale. It will sit half empty and eventually become section 8 housing as the targeted buyers will not come forward in the numbers necessary to make this a viable project which most lending institutions already realize in their decision not to funding this sketchy developer….
The only development that will add more to the surrounding property values is the Starbucks going in at Hanley/Dale (proven fact). Boland Place apartments is a loser and always has been. I don’t know how much money you have tied up in this Jeff, you won’t see any ROI. Whatever chance Cyr had with this development being successful was eaten away with all of his delays. Now by the time he is cutting the ribbon ALL of the surrounding luxury apartment units in the area will be leased and in pitched competition with each other. This is St. Louis NOT NYC, Boston, or Denver! We don’t have the job market to sustain all of these units! In addition it turns out Millennials aren’t as monolithic as people would like to think they are because surprise!!! Midwest Millennials still want to buy houses (just check out the overheated Kansas City market at the other end of the state)! Whoever finances this operation deserves to lose their shirt.
The guy needs to cut his loses and sell the land, it truly seems he can’t get financing. Meanwhile the new construction @ Hanley and Dale is cruising right along!
Very disappointed that the City isn’t living up to it’s deadlines and the guy’s playing them big time.
Anyone who knows anything about construction will tell you given a choice, September isn’t the time to begin a major project. Winter?
That stretch of Dale looks like low income housing already
not so sure I would agree with you about that. There are many nice but smaller older homes on that street. Not everyone likes the new cookie box homes that are all vinyl siding with the same look as the one four houses down from it in the subdivision.
Wow way to take a hard stance! What is going to happen if in September he can’t start construction? Richmond Heights will slap him around with a feather! This is such a joke!!! He can’t start construction BECAUSE HE IS BROKE! Now I am more afraid of what happen if the guy ever starts construction. This thing will be low-income housing before its all said and done.
Totally agree with Derek.
As long as there is a chance to add more $$$ to the RH coffers they will give this bloke every chance they can for him to move forward with this ill-conceived project…