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Future of Wiese House An Issue in Florissant
BY CAROL ARNETT
The Florissant City Council met in an executive session before the council meeting Monday to discuss the Wiese House in St. Ferdinand Park. The city owns the house, which is in need of repair.
The most pressing issue, according to City Building Commissioner Lou Jearls, is the brick work on the second floor. The walls are bowing out, and to fix them, a contractor will have to support the roof, take the walls down, and put them back up. This will cost approximately $86,000, Jearls said.
Mayor Robert Lowery presented the administration’s plan for the house to the council. He said the administration would like to use the house as a banquet center for weddings and parties. In addition to the brick work, the plan would require new bathrooms and work in the kitchen. The HVAC system would need to be upgraded, and some work done in the basement. In addition, Lowery said, a deck would be added. These improvements, with the brick work, would cost approximately $200,000.
Lowery said Mr. and Mrs. Russ Marty would be willing to move into the property and work on the interior. They have experience renovating old homes. They currently live in a historic home on New Halls Ferry road.
“This is a wonderful idea,” Councilwoman Karen McKay said, “but we don’t have the money.” She said the council should wait until the 2009 budget, which they will start working on soon, to determine if the funding is available. She said the funds were not available in the 2008 budget.
Council President Tom Schneider asked Jearls how much it would cost to make the property livable. Jearls answered that it would cost the $86,000 for the second floor repairs and an additional $10,000 for the HVAC repairs. Schneider reminded the council that they were going to use the proceeds from the sale of the Our Lady of Fatima convent for the Weise house. “We’ll get about $100,000 out of the Fatima convent,” he said.
Schneider added that he sees three issues. “One, to save the house, we have to do the engineering work on the second floor. Two, what is our vision for the house. And three, does that vision involve the Martys?”
“It’s not going to last forever,” Lowery said. “It will fall apart.”
“It’s a little premature tonight to make a decision,” Councilman Tim Lee said. “I would like to look at the administration’s proposal more closely,” he said.
Schneider asked the council if they would all be in favor of spending the $100,000 from the Fatima convent on the structural work on the house. “I think we’re unanimous on preserving the building,” he said. “Let’s do that, and then go to the next step.”
New Halls Ferry-Parker Update
The council also heard an update on the New Halls Ferry and Parker Road area. City Director of Economic Development Bob Russell said that the city had issues a new Request for Proposal (RFP) for the site. Responses are due Sept. 2. An RFP is sent to developers to solicit their proposals for redevelopment.
Russell said the RFP indicated that the city was willing to consider a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) or 353 Redevelopment Corporation for the site. TIFs and 353s allow certain tax breaks and also sometimes allow for the use of eminent domain.
“We indicated that the city would be willing to consider it,” Russell said, “but that does not obligate you to approve it.”
Lowery indicated to the council that they should stop allowing new businesses in the area, since it will be redeveloped. Council members replied that they cannot legally stop new businesses, only warn them of the city’s plan, which they said they have been doing.
City Attorney John Hessel agreed, saying the council cannot stop property owners from using the space for an approved use until the city has a development plan with a developer.
