The former Leidner Funeral Home at 2223 St. Louis Avenue
Less than three blocks separates two very similar buildings on St. Louis Avenue in the St. Louis Place Neighborhood. Both are began as high Victorian mansions on St. Louis Avenue's "Millionaires Row" and both were later converted to funeral homes with substantial complimentary additions to the right side and rear of the mansions. In the last several years though the properties have taken dramatically divergent paths as a direct result of their ownership.
The ruins of the rear of 1936 St. Louis Avenue
City records show the former Liedner Funeral Home at 2223 St. Louis Avenue under the ownership of the Greater Bible Way Community Church since at least 1997. It is obvious that this stunning property has been lovingly maintained by its current owner. Inside its beautiful woodwork, ornate plaster and stained glass are all in excellent condition. The only minor issue with this building is that some of the plaster ceiling in the chapel addition has fallen due to a roof leak.
Last Saturday, Reverend Harsley of the Bible Way Church gave the Rehabbers Club a tour of the former funeral home. This immaculately maintained building is currently for sale. The Reverend said that the asking price for the entire complex which includes the 3-story mansion, chapel, parking lot and an additional lot to the east, is $280,000 which seems like an exceptional value.
A few blocks east, it is like you are in a different world. The beautiful former mansion turned funeral home at 1936 St. Louis Avenue stands half in ruins due to the blatant neglect of its owner Paul McKee. Brick thieves began attacking the garage portion of the addition at the rear of the property and McKee did nothing to secure the property or otherwise prevent further destruction. As a result of McKee's indifference, brick thieves have been allowed to attack the building unfettered, destroying the rear of the addition as well as the rear wing of the original mansion.
Last Saturday, Reverend Harsley of the Bible Way Church gave the Rehabbers Club a tour of the former funeral home. This immaculately maintained building is currently for sale. The Reverend said that the asking price for the entire complex which includes the 3-story mansion, chapel, parking lot and an additional lot to the east, is $280,000 which seems like an exceptional value.
A few blocks east, it is like you are in a different world. The beautiful former mansion turned funeral home at 1936 St. Louis Avenue stands half in ruins due to the blatant neglect of its owner Paul McKee. Brick thieves began attacking the garage portion of the addition at the rear of the property and McKee did nothing to secure the property or otherwise prevent further destruction. As a result of McKee's indifference, brick thieves have been allowed to attack the building unfettered, destroying the rear of the addition as well as the rear wing of the original mansion.
The chapel at 2223 St. Louis Avenue
So far McKee has shown little ability to understand how to do development within existing urban neighborhoods and certainly has shown zero ability or desire to protect or even minimally maintain the hundreds of historic buildings that he owns and is ultimately responsible for. Instead of giving $398 million of public money to McKee, right now I would feel confident giving it to Reverend Harsley of the Bible Way Church.
The chapel at 1936, most of which is now a pile of debris
Wednesday evening at 6:00 PM is McKee's TIF Commission hearing where he will ask the City of St. Louis to financially back-up his shaky plan to the tune of $398 Million. The hearing will be held in room 208 at City Hall. More details can be found here. If you care about the financial future of the City, please come to the hearing and testify against this proposal.
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