A well-known Fountain Park landmark may be stabilized in the near future. A $20,000 permit application for interior and exterior alterations has been received by the city from Titsworth Properties, LLC. This follows a quick survey by nextSTL of the site that found further deterioration of the building’s roof. The St. Louis Neighborhood Development Blog then featured the building and now has news of the permit application. Vacant since 1989, the building barely escaped demolition in both 1996 and 2006, according to Toby Weiss on her B.E.L.T. site.
The buildings are owned by Titsworth Properties LLC, an entity registered to an attorney in Clayton and an owner address near Fountain Park. This is the only property owned by the LLC. Since purchasing the building in 2006, the owner has applied for building permits of $25,000 in 2008 and 2010, only to let them expire. The permit amounts are small, but enough to secure the building and perhaps prevent further deterioration.
According to the city website, property taxes for 2011 and 2012 are delinquent, not an uncommon finding given that three years delinquency could mean the property goes to a public tax sale. The total taxes owned are $546.15. In many ways, the building typifies large parts of the city. It’s sat vacant for decades now, yet still stands owing to its craftsmanship and resilience of brick. It possesses incredible potential and yet is surely marked by many as an eyesore that should have been demolished years ago. With any luck, the third building application permit has a different outcome than the last two. Click here to take a photo tour of the Founatin Park neighborhood.
