ST. LOUIS — People who work in the St. Louis area have reached out to 5 On Your Side noting that the Heritage House in Midtown has fallen into disrepair. That’s after residents were abruptly forced out earlier this year after pipes burst.
5 On Your Side's I-Team checked it out to find overgrown grass and windows boarded up. The crew saw water dripping down the side of the building. People who live and work near the Heritage House call it an eyesore and want answers.
“It makes the neighborhood look bad,” said Larry Boyd, waiting at the bus stop nearby.
In January, the Heritage House on 2800 Olive Street — a place originally intended for former teachers — closed suddenly when the pipes burst. About 180 residents were suddenly forced out with nowhere to go.
“It's very disheartening,” said Zaki Baruti with the Universal African People’s Organization, a nonprofit that advocates for social causes.
Baruti is a community leader fighting for answers.
“This is a crying shame that it has to be like this,” he said. “The owners and the management team need to repair those residents who had to leave in the middle of the night… many of their belongings were destroyed or damaged.”
“Is it in limbo? Who owns it? Who is responsible?” asked Alderwoman Laura Keys of St. Louis’ 11th Ward.
Keys believes management companies need more scrutiny.
“Does the city need to be more aggressive in preventing issues like this?” asked 5 On Your Side's Paula Vasan.
“Oh, absolutely,” Keys said in response. “Helping to bring buildings such as this into alignment with the community standard.”
5 On Your Side reached out to real estate company the Sansone Group, which managed the property when residents were forced out. Despite multiple attempts, the station has yet to receive a response.
For now, people in the area want the property fixed up.
“Do you think there are too many property managers, too many landlords that let buildings like this deteriorate?” asked Vasan.
“Absolutely. And there should be a penalty for allowing buildings to just not be rehabbed within a certain period of time,” said Baruti.
A city official told 5 On Your Side they’re working with the owner to cut the grass, clean up the area, and eventually reopen the building. There’s no word yet on a timeline.
In an email, the city told us: "The area inspector is actively working with the owner to gain compliance regarding the code related issues to reopen the building. As well, the Building Division Manager of the location is having the area Inspector call the owner and tell him to clean up the area and cut grass and weeds."
A ticket has also been submitted to the Citizens Service Bureau, the system for submitting complaints in the city.