ST. LOUIS - Demolition of St. Louis' last public housing high-rise began Thursday, the St. Louis Housing Authority said.
The last of the four Arthur Blumeyer Family buildings, located just north of the Grand Center arts district on Franklin Avenue, is expected to be completely removed over the next several weeks.
In May 2011, the housing authority received a federal HOPE VI Revitalization Grant to help cover some of the $40 million bill to remove the 46-year-old high-rise. The rest of the money for demolition, as well as the construction of a new mixed-income development, came from public and private funds. Those new communities, called North Sarah I and North Sarah II, are located next to the Blumeyer building.
When the demolition is completed and all the debris removed, the one-acre lot will be regarded for drainage and maintained as a green space for the community.
