ST. LOUIS — City officials have given developer Lux Living an ultimatum: Stabilize its crumbling buildings on South Kingshighway or the city will bill Lux for the work.
The long-vacant row of buildings just south of Interstate 64 has continued to fall into disrepair since ºüÀêÊÓƵ officials denied Lux Living’s request to demolish them for a new apartment complex. The properties, near Barnes-Jewish Hospital, now have collapsed awnings, disintegrating brick steps and holes in exterior walls.
The developer has been in the crosshairs of city and neighborhood officials since a former Lux Living employee alleged that the owners, brothers Victor Alston and Sid Chakraverty, had talked about going around the city’s building division to demolish the properties. The company has denied the allegation.
“This is bigger than just these buildings. These are the poster-child for demolition by neglect,†Alderman Michael Browning said Thursday. “By taking action on these properties, the city is sending a message that we care about our communities, and we won’t let bad actors continue to harm them.â€
The company did not respond to a request for comment.
Lux Living is a prolific apartment developer but has courted controversy over the years for its business dealings, which include suing a rival developer and moving tenants into buildings that were still under construction.
The row of seven buildings in the 1000 block of Kingshighway were dilapidated before Lux Living bought them in 2021 from an affiliate of Drury Hotels. But Lux has done little work to maintain the buildings and had wanted to raze them to make way for a new, six-story apartment complex.
But the city denied the demolition request last year, stating that the buildings were structurally sound and that the proposed design would not fit neighborhood standards.
Residents in the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood have long complained about the decaying conditions of the buildings. Browning, the alderman in the area, on social media this week that the city had sent letters to Lux Living mandating the company stabilize the buildings or the city will stabilize them at the company’s cost. The work is estimated to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars for each building.
A department spokeswoman confirmed that the city had indeed ordered Lux to fix the properties.
“At this point,†the spokeswoman said, “it is up to the owner to comply.â€
Alderman Michael Browning, who represents the neighborhood, said Thursday on social media that NorthPoint Development had acquired the properties.Â
Bags containing bricks and woodwork from the crumbling front entrance to one of the buildings owned by Lux Living are seen near the sidewalk in the 1000 block of South Kingshighway in ºüÀêÊÓƵ on Thursday, June 22, 2023.
Crumbling brickwork, boarded up and broken windows can be seen on the rear one of the buildings owned by Lux Living in 1000 block of South Kingshighway in ºüÀêÊÓƵ on Thursday, June 22, 2023. The ºüÀêÊÓƵ Building Division has sent letters to Lux Living instructing the apartment developer that the buildings need to be stabilized or the city will stabilize them at the owner's cost. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
A faded condemnation notice and letter about demolition are posted on the boarded up front door on one of the buildings owned by Lux Living in 1000 block of South Kingshighway in ºüÀêÊÓƵ on Thursday, June 22, 2023. The ºüÀêÊÓƵ Building Division has sent letters to Lux Living instructing the apartment developer that the buildings need to be stabilized or the city will stabilize them at the owner's cost. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
The crumbing front entrance to on one of the buildings owned by Lux Living in 1000 block of South Kingshighway in ºüÀêÊÓƵ on Thursday, June 22, 2023. The ºüÀêÊÓƵ Building Division has sent letters to Lux Living instructing the apartment developer that the buildings need to be stabilized or the city will stabilize them at the owner's cost. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
Fallen and crumbling bricks reveal the interior of one of the buildings owned by Lux Living in 1000 block of South Kingshighway in ºüÀêÊÓƵ on Thursday, June 22, 2023. The ºüÀêÊÓƵ Building Division has sent letters to Lux Living instructing the apartment developer that the buildings need to be stabilized or the city will stabilize them at the owner's cost. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
Loose bricks can be seen above a doorway on one of the buildings owned by Lux Living in 1000 block of South Kingshighway in ºüÀêÊÓƵ on Thursday, June 22, 2023. The ºüÀêÊÓƵ Building Division has sent letters to Lux Living instructing the apartment developer that the buildings need to be stabilized or the city will stabilize them at the owner's cost. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
Crumbling brickwork and broken windows can be seen on one of the buildings owned by Lux Living in 1000 block of South Kingshighway in ºüÀêÊÓƵ on Thursday, June 22, 2023. The ºüÀêÊÓƵ Building Division has sent letters to Lux Living instructing the apartment developer that the buildings need to be stabilized or the city will stabilize them at the owner's cost. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
Traffic moves past the row of buildings owned by Lux Living can be seen near the sidewalk in front of 1000 block of South Kingshighway in ºüÀêÊÓƵ on Thursday, June 22, 2023. The ºüÀêÊÓƵ Building Division has sent letters to Lux Living instructing the apartment developer that the buildings need to be stabilized or the city will stabilize them at the owner's cost. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
A conceptual, digital rendering of the 155-unit apartment complex that Lux Living wants to build on the site of several vacant buildings along Kingshighway near Oakland Avenue.