ST. LOUIS — A judge has issued an eviction order to a woodworking company that operates out of a building at the site of the future $200 million Armory redevelopment in Midtown.
St. Louis Circuit Judge Jason Sengheiser issued an order this month that St. Louis Woodworks has to leave the building it leases at 500 Prospect Ave. by May 10, when owner Green Street Real Estate Ventures will take possession of the property.
Green Street will demolish the building to make way for its planned mixed-use entertainment district, which will include two seven-story apartment towers along with overhauling the historic Armory building to feature a concert venue, rooftop bar, tennis hall of fame and six other tenants, said to be announced soon.
The Forest Park Southeast-based company already partially demolished the building at 500 Prospect, which is partly occupied by St. Louis Woodworks. The tenant is still operating out of the building after filing a lawsuit against Green Street in 2020 to extend its lease until 2027.
The custom woodworking company, which has about 35 employees, will cease to exist when the eviction order goes into effect May 10, with $1 million of machinery that will be left in the building, owner Steve Rothschild said. Represented by attorney Chet Pleban, St. Louis Woodworks is appealing the eviction order to the Missouri Court of Appeals, but the appeal will not be heard before the May 10 eviction, Rothschild said.
Green Street did not have a comment on how the eviction would be carried out but said in a statement that “we have and will continue to abide by the rulings of the courts and respect their decisions.”
Some employees have worked at St. Louis Woodworks for decades, Rothschild said, and he was nearing retirement and potentially selling his business. Now he’s notifying clients with upcoming contracts that the company is shutting down after 33 years.
“This is my future — I was getting ready to retire,” Rothschild said. “I’m 67 years old. Half of my life I’ve been running this business, and I wanted to take care of the people who’ve taken care of me.”
Green Street’s development team purchased the building in 2016 and told St. Louis Woodworks right away about its plans for the Armory redevelopment, Rothschild said.
Read the full story on the St. Louis Business Journal website.
