urbanSTL

I just can’t with this. I will donate money to a fund for this property to be taken and stabilized. I am beyond over letting landmarks fall and be demoed. If we lose this complex, it will be the greatest architectural loss in the city’s modern history.  Our government needs to get involved

We’ve likely lost that building fronting Cherokee now. The city should’ve commenced action the last time the building crumbled!!!!!

I can’t even put my frustration into a post

The owner, Shashi Palamand, has been renting this complex in a practically abandoned state with minimal maintenance being done. Now all that deferred maintenance is catching up and is causing a disaster to unfold. I wouldn’t be surprised if a few of the other buildings are nearing the point of (at least) partial collapse. I’ve noticed the lean in the lower portion of the wall nearly 4 years ago. Bricks fell off of it 2 years ago. This collapse shouldn’t have surprised anyone. The next collapse will likely surprise us, but I hope a major redevelopment effort could’ve been launched before we even get to that point.

^Right on the nose. And if this was any regular commercial space that he was renting out in a condition like this, I would hope it would get an inspection. This is a landmark and the city needs to test it as such. Conduct inspections on the property and fail it - no way it’s been kept up to code. Get this thing out of his hands. I can’t watch another collapse

StlToday - Another collapse at St. Louis' Lemp Brewery: 'Mother Nature did some of the demolition for us.'

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/cri ... 44de8.html

I tagged Cara Spencer on this on Instagram.  Doubtful anything comes of it of course.  But she would be the one to get anything kicked off on next steps?

Oh what a load of…The first collapse happened 4 years ago and they got the OK to demo what needed to be to salvage the rest back in July 23. This winter storm was not some thing that came up before they had a chance to resolve the issue. Saying it’s not really a building so not a big loss, couldn’t get a contractor, weather, blame International Shoe, excuse, excuse. They let that building rot and collapse. They’ve had control of it for 25 years. It is on the current owners.

Regardless, they are not making productive use of the property and have shown the incapability to preserve a landmark.

Get this building and put an RFP out. Or at least put the pressure on at least for a sale. There is appetite for redevelopment of these type of historic complexes across the country and this is one of the best ones in existence

Maybe GSL could get involved. This is an asset at least as important as Railway Exchange

I would tear down Lemp if it meant RWX is redeveloped, populated, and successful.

This is absolutely not remotely as important as a vacant 1.2 million SF behemoth of a building in the middle of our central business district. It's not even close.

Auggie wrote: ↑

Feb 05, 2025

I would tear down Lemp if it meant RWX is redeveloped, populated, and successful.

This is absolutely not remotely as important as a vacnat 1.2 million SF behemoth of a building in the middle of our central business district. It's not even close.

There's no reason both can't be done simultaneously. Both Railway and Lemp are key parts of two distinct neighborhoods. Losing one or the other would be extremely damaging to the fabric of either neighborhood. Lemp looms over its neighborhood as a symbol of when St. Louis was a brewing powerhouse. It's an icon just like the Railway Exchange is.

However, Railway could (and should) be redeveloped all at once while Lemp could be phased with each phase being able to be made larger or smaller depending on demand. A redevelopment of Lemp could resembled that of Pearl in San Antonio, but fine-tuned to a slower growth area.

Yea, it’s not a trade off.

Lemp would be very marketable right now to a developer - mixed use historical rehab projects have probably never been a hotter commodity. The moment is now - it’s a matter of getting the property sold to a developer who wants to do that with it. The current owner does not want to do anything with it and is only putting it in harm of going away before it can be repurposed.

Have there been any interviews with the owner? Is the whole complex owned by one entity? Do they have plans to do anything with the property to actually make use of it? Would love for that to be converted into residential and commercial. Also something needs to be done with the complex up at Lemp and Gravois. 

Demolition begins on portion of collapsed Lemp Brewery building.
https://www.firstalert4.com/2025/03/25/ ... -building/

Really think it’s time for the city to take action on this once this building is cleaned up. Should have never happened the way it did in the first place and there’s just no urgency at the site. I have no doubt that there would be a developer come knocking for the opportunity to make this a mega project. I
hope it is one of Cara’s first “let’s get this done now” moves.

It needs to be the jewel of antique district. Apartments and outdoor amphitheater type venue would kill. 

delmar2debaliviere2downtown wrote: ↑

Mar 26, 2025

Really think it’s time for the city to take action on this once this building is cleaned up. Should have never happened the way it did in the first place and there’s just no urgency at the site. I have no doubt that there would be a developer come knocking for the opportunity to make this a mega project. I
hope it is one of Cara’s first “let’s get this done now” moves.

Has she said anything in regards to this complex? It's been in her ward.  And previously her ward 20 boundaries ran right up the east side of the complex, yeah?

bwcrow1s wrote: ↑

Mar 26, 2025

delmar2debaliviere2downtown wrote: ↑

Mar 26, 2025

Really think it’s time for the city to take action on this once this building is cleaned up. Should have never happened the way it did in the first place and there’s just no urgency at the site. I have no doubt that there would be a developer come knocking for the opportunity to make this a mega project. I
hope it is one of Cara’s first “let’s get this done now” moves.

Has she said anything in regards to this complex? It's been in her ward.  And previously her ward 20 boundaries ran right up the east side of the complex, yeah?

I don’t think she ever has. Which does not give me confidence. But it needs to be a priority.

FWIW I asked her to put attention on it when she was running for the 8th in 2023.

What is the demo permit here for?

And I ask again why the city is not stepping in here. This may be the most architecturally significant collection of structures at risk in our region. Don’t wait until disaster has fully happened (see Railway Exchange). Get involved now and make sure this becomes something St. Louis can be proud of. Give this complex hope and a chance

delmar2debaliviere2downtown wrote: ↑

Sep 13, 2025

What is the demo permit here for?

And I ask again why the city is not stepping in here.  This may be the most architecturally significant collection of structures at risk in our region. Don’t wait until disaster has fully happened (see Railway Exchange). Get involved now and make sure this becomes something St. Louis can be proud of. Give this complex hope and a chance

Seconding out of interest

$179.8k demo permit application to Demolition of Remaining Portion of Building 20

If we lose anymore of this complex after this whole debacle, it may be the day that I just can’t watch this city let its rich history go down the drain any longer. An absolute tragedy that we are allowing this national landmark fall

Will he leave the Preservation Board starry-eyed this time?