ST. LOUIS — A neighborhood group is seeking control of a NorthSide Regeneration building it says has deteriorated over years.
Covenant Blu Grand Center Neighborhood Association in October sued NorthSide, related firm Rice Capital Group, NorthSide owner Paul McKee, and creditors Bank of Washington and Scarboro Services, saying it should be able to gain possession of 3509 Page Blvd. under state law if the defendants don't abate nuisance conditions.
The suit says that since 2014, the condemned property — formerly the ABC Auto Sales building — has been cited for ordinance violations by the city of St. Louis 10 times. It added that NorthSide owes at least $5,500 in unpaid penalties, fines, fees and special assessments to the city for the property, plus $22,335 in back property taxes.
The suit asks a judge to appoint a receiver to take temporary possession of the property, to order NorthSide to make improvements, and if it doesn't, to give the property to the association.
In recent court filings, NorthSide denied the allegations and said the association doesn't have the standing to sue under state law. McKee didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch first reported the suit, calling it the first time such a strategy had been used against NorthSide, which owns huge swaths of north city but has seen only a gas station, grocery and health facility developed since entering a redevelopment agreement with the city in 2009.
Under Mayor Lyda Krewson, the city in 2018 canceled its redevelopment agreement with NorthSide, forcing it to seek subsidies for projects one by one.
Click here to read the full story from the St. Louis Business Journal.
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