Well, this came out of left field. Creve Coeur wants to demolish the historic Lake School, which I looked at back on New Year’s Eve of 2021.
I went by a couple of weeks ago to evaluate the condition of the school, and it did not look that bad. Yes, there is some peeling paint, but I have yet to encounter a building where the paint is a load bearing structural member.
The St. Louis County Historic Buildings Commission has sent a letter to Creve Coeur asking for the city to slow down its plans for demolishing the school.
I hope long term that a solution amenable to all parties can be worked out and perhaps if Creve Coeur can donate the school to St. Louis County Parks and perhaps donate the historic structure to Faust Park, where so many other notable buildings have been relocated. And then of course rename Lake School Park, since the name would seem a bit strange with its namesake gone, whether demolished or relocated.
I’m all for making a historic park site for the area surrounding that generations abandoned one-room school house (for the moment) Plus it’s a bloody shame that allot of those higher land value averages, West County “municipal entities” don’t have their own local public park departments. Like County Executives should not mayors for few randomly selected suburban towns. ( Continued short term land policy attitudes real estate developer jurisdictions 🙁
(With many MoDot Public roads tax dollars, public school districts, and figuratively only a single Public Library system for the County beyond Kirkwood with some other non Saint Louis City systems. For those who voluntarily decide to go towards one during a Saturday.
It’s not terribly surprising that Creve Coeur wants to demo it considering they already pawned off the Clester and Hackmann Cabins to Faust Park. They just don’t want to spend any money or effort on what little historical resources they actually have left. The fact that there are some Dierberg family members involved with the Tappmeyer House is probably the only thing keeping that old house standing.
The attitude Creve Coeur has is pretty common in the county though. Just look at Manchester letting the majority of its historic buildings along Manchester Road go vacant or be demolished especially in the past few years. Apathy by officials and the average person along with a lack of coordinated, active, and passionate historic preservation groups in most of the county has enabled this to happen and it’s a shame. Fortunately for now though there are still a few more hidden gems in the county like the beautiful Franziska Hug farmhouse on Paule Ave in Lemay.
Thanks for typing in a clarified answer from your perspective. 🙂 Plus it’s a miracle that a pre 1876 built Franziska Hug farmhouse was constructed outside the domains of some Jupiter Iron Works/Saint Louis Blast Furnace Company/ 6500 South Broadway, Mississippi Valley Iron Company pig iron factory building complex, “short term” heavy industrial activities phase greater Carondelet beyond the EPA labeled biohazard domains of an abandoned Coke Plant 🙁 At least Manchester, Missouri’s Lyceum Building is still there beyond that Old Meremec Station Road meets Route 100 selection of brick buildings (for now)
The Creve Coeur City Council has voted to raze this historic one-room school house. Awful decision making. https://crevecoeurmo.portal.civicclerk.com/event/9456/media
I spoke to save it. https://crevecoeurmo.portal.civicclerk.com/event/9455/media