Compton Gate Condos - 2201 S Grand Blvd

suburban lou · PostMay 03, 2006#512006-05-03T18:11+00:00

Developer will rebuild burned condominiums

Jim Merkel

Of the Suburban Journals

South City Journal

05/03/2006

A 36-unit condominium development will rise again from the ashes brought on by a spectacular four-alarm fire.

"They're going to rebuild," said Alderman Stephen Conway, D-8th Ward.

Conway spoke of the $10 million Compton Gate Condominiums under construction at 2201 S. Grand Boulevard, which burned Thursday.

An announcement on the Compton Gate Condominiums web site said the fire would push completion back four months.

Firefighters got the first call for the fire about 4 a.m. When the first pumper arrived on the scene, the building was fully ablaze, said Capt. Steve Simpson, public information officer for the St. Louis Fire Department.

The fire melted street lights, an adjacent Jack in the Box sign and some of the lights on a pumper. Two buildings behind the structure that burned were damaged.

After the fire went to four alarms, there were about 80 to 85 firefighters on the scene.

"No one was hurt or anything," Simpson said. "The fire's still under investigation."

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trent · PostMay 03, 2006#522006-05-03T20:52+00:00

Four months would put completion from September to January. That's not bad actually.

jefferson · PostMay 12, 2006#532006-05-12T02:34+00:00

just heard on ch. 5 news they're ruling this arson...lab tests showed an "accelerant" had been poured near a door and up a stairway.

MattnSTL · PostMay 12, 2006#542006-05-12T04:24+00:00

No surprise there. In fact someone in the fire department confirmed this for me about a week ago.

Good to hear that they are going to try to restart construction in about a month, and hopefully someone will be arrested for this.

urbanstlouis · PostMay 12, 2006#552006-05-12T18:58+00:00

jefferson wrote:just heard on ch. 5 news they're ruling this arson...lab tests showed an "accelerant" had been poured near a door and up a stairway.

Here is the online report from KSDK:

Condo Developer Promises To Rebuild After $2 Million Arson

created: 5/11/2006 10:38:12 PM

updated: 5/12/2006 2:00:16 PM

By Ann Rubin

(KSDK) - A local developer won't let an arsonist run her out of a south Saint Louis neighborhood. Her condo complex burned to the ground two weeks ago. Now she's speaking out about the investigation, the evidence, and her dedication to rebuild.

The Compton Gate Condos were under construction and on schedule to be finished this fall. Now, the developer is dealing with a major setback and a feeling that she has been targeted for some unknown reason.

[...snip...]

Michelle says investigators are calling this a professional job. They're now reviewing surveillance video from a neighboring restaurant. She says, "They were treating this as a serious arson investigation, because the loss is about $2 million."

>>> read more

jambo · PostAug 28, 2006#562006-08-28T20:07+00:00

I spied some extensive clean-up activities this afternoon at Compton Gate.

Let's hope this means a start to reconstruction.

framer · PostSep 10, 2006#572006-09-10T05:20+00:00

The new walls are going up now.

smsplanstu · PostSep 11, 2006#582006-09-11T19:14+00:00

This project is a necessity for continual growth on South Grand Blvd since it adds to the density, street facade, adds momentum to the South Grand economic dynamic, and attracts more development.

"Supply creates its own demand"

trent · PostSep 11, 2006#592006-09-11T20:47+00:00

And the new development planned for the YMCA building will be pretty much across the street.

stellar · PostSep 18, 2006#602006-09-18T13:10+00:00

Fox 2 just did a story in front of this development and said that June will be the opening. This month was supposed to be the opening.

jambo · PostSep 27, 2006#612006-09-27T22:26+00:00

I noticed the web site has a nice virtual tour video. It gives a good idea of the final product - without any Jack in the Box wrappers blowing by!

http://www.comptongatecondos.com/

soulardd · PostSep 28, 2006#622006-09-28T01:58+00:00

Great soundtrack, too.

warwickland · PostNov 07, 2006#632006-11-07T03:40+00:00

framer · PostNov 08, 2006#642006-11-08T05:30+00:00

Great to see the Phoenix rising. Now POST SOME FREAKING GUARDS!

By the way, I'm a bit dissapointed to see that this building breaks the existing building line. Note how it doesn't line up with the row of buildings further South on Grand. This has always been a pet peave of mine.

smsplanstu · PostNov 08, 2006#652006-11-08T06:26+00:00

That Jack-In-The-Box looks ripe for demolition and a medium slender tower ala OPUS or Conrad

toastedravioli · PostNov 08, 2006#662006-11-08T08:19+00:00

Framer wrote:Great to see the Phoenix rising. Now POST SOME FREAKING GUARDS!

By the way, I'm a bit dissapointed to see that this building breaks the existing building line. Note how it doesn't line up with the row of buildings further South on Grand. This has always been a pet peave of mine.

Mine too, but this is odd, the new building is actually closer to the street than the old ones.

threeonefour · PostNov 08, 2006#672006-11-08T14:24+00:00

^ I've driven by the site often, but I didn't notice that until warwickland posted the picture above.

Normally I'd be glad to see a dense development so close to the street, but count me in as another person that's annoyed by the way in which Compton Gate relates poorly with the nice row of buildings just to the south.

SMS, I don't know if that particular area is ready for something like 4545 Lindell, but that's the kind of development I'd like to see on the JITB site!

Alex Ihnen · PostNov 08, 2006#682006-11-08T14:27+00:00

I think I like the variation of the street facade as long as there's ample sidewalk space - and it looks there is.

Expat · PostNov 08, 2006#692006-11-08T14:45+00:00

Thanks Warwickland. This is a great picture that highlights Comptongate's positive impact on the streetscape. The difference is amazing. I love it.

southslider · PostNov 08, 2006#702006-11-08T15:59+00:00

Just build a slender, ziggurat (or wedding-cake) tower on the Jack in the Box site with its lower base built upto the same setback as these condos, and the difference would be less noticeable.

south compton · PostNov 08, 2006#712006-11-08T16:11+00:00

I think the building lines not matching up will be less noticeable when the construction fencing is removed. Yes, there is a difference, but the sidewalk will be more than ample.

markofucity · PostNov 08, 2006#722006-11-08T16:13+00:00

I actually prefer the bigger building and the proximity to the street .... i appear to be all alone on this one (as has been pointed out here several times) .. i just never liked the tendency here to push everything 1/3 acre back from the street .... I liek the feeling of density you get when the building comes right up to the street. .. anyway - I've mentioned this before and no one ever see,s to agree with me so I'll let it go. I'll just chalk it up to one of those things that I just will never understand about other people ... like enjoying Adam Sandler movies

southslider · PostNov 08, 2006#732006-11-08T16:18+00:00

^I like the proximity too, especially when these condos won't ever have retail activity needing a "frontage zone" or wider sidewalks, such as sit-down cafes. In fact, businesses with outdoor dining would be ideal for those storefronts south of these condos, as such use would add life to an otherwise overly wide sidewalk there.

debaliviere · PostNov 08, 2006#742006-11-08T16:44+00:00

markofucity wrote:I actually prefer the bigger building and the proximity to the street .... i appear to be all alone on this one (as has been pointed out here several times) .. i just never liked the tendency here to push everything 1/3 acre back from the street .... I liek the feeling of density you get when the building comes right up to the street. .. anyway - I've mentioned this before and no one ever see,s to agree with me so I'll let it go. I'll just chalk it up to one of those things that I just will never understand about other people ... like enjoying Adam Sandler movies

I'm with you, I like it as well.

crbswiss · PostNov 08, 2006#752006-11-08T16:46+00:00

I think there is something to be said of incongruent setbacks. It can create congestion on the sidewalks (good in my opinion) and create interesting pockets in the streetscape.

Compton Gate Condos - 2201 S Grand Blvd

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