Historical December 1991 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Dear Editor, We have noticed with interest the start of construction on the vacant lot at 6001 Lindell (at DesPeres).
It is our understanding that Mike Faille. owner of Talayna’s Restaurant, is building a residence for himself comparable in scale and detail to some of the grandest homes in the city or county.
We have no objection whatsoever to the construction itself, which will only add to one of St. Louis’ most impressive residential areas.
The burning question for us is: why is the building that Talayna’s Restaurant occupies at the corner of Skinker and Forest Park Parkway allowed to deteriorate in the most blatant manner, while Faille’s personal palace rises less than a mile away?
The estimated cost of construction for Faille’s new residence on Lindell is over One Million Dollars.
A fraction of that amount could finance restoration of the Albert Building (Talayna’s) and this prominent landmark structure could again contribute to the historic beauty and integrity of our neighborhood.
It is more than an aggravation to us that Mr. Faille made a substantial investment in planning his new home to meet the design and construction standards of City Building Codes and the local historic district ordinance, while he had repeatedly violated these standards with alterations to the Albert Building: e.g. exterior lights, signs, window replacements, etc.
The Forest Park Parkway — Skinker Blvd. intersection carries travelers from the county into the City and points east, to the stately, tree-lined Parkview subdivision, to the historic Skinker DeBaliviere neighborhood, to the thriving Delmar Loop, to Forest Park and the area’s most treasured institutions, and to the campus of the prestigious Washington University.
These neighborhoods, institutions and our City deserve a more worthy entrance marker than the Albert Building in its current, pathetic condition.
We congratulate Mr. Faille on the construction of his new home and we are delighted that he selected a site in the City and our neighborhood for this sizable investment.
We hope that Mr. Faille will extend his commitment to architectural integrity and quality construction from his new home on Lindell to the Albert Building on Skinker at Forest Park Parkway. Both buildings could, and should, be sources of pride for Mr. Faille and his neighbors.
Sincerely, Concerned Skinker DeBaliviere Neighbors
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, December 1991.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1991_12.pdf, printed page(s) 2; PDF page(s) 2.
