Historical February 1992 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
The Skinker DeBaliviere Community Housing Corporation (SDCHC) held its second annual meeting December 4, 1991, 7:30a.m. at Central West End Bank.
The SDCHC incorporated in November, 1989 and held its first annual meeting in December 1990.
The board holds regular meetings biweekly on Wednesday mornings.
An important agenda item at this annual meeting was the election of directors and officers. John G. Storey, whose two year term as a director was expiring, was reelected to the board for a four year term.
The following officers were elected for one year terms: Karleen Hoerr, President; Tom Scatizzi, First Vice-President; John G. Storey, Second Vice-President; George Johannes, Third Vice-President; Katherine Kurtz, Secretary; Susan Feinberg, Treasurer. James E. McLeod will also continue to serve as a member of the board for the third year of his three year term.
The SDCHC reviewed its activities in 1991; it was a productive and busy year. Throughout last winter and spring, the SDCHC worked with a Consultant, Operation Impact, and Operation ConServ in developing a “Housing Strategy,” a plan to guide the SDCHC’s activities.
In short, the plan adopted targets the area around the Rosedale Square Apartment project (6XXX-61XX Washington and 5XX Rosedale).
The SDCHC continued to be concerned with properties outside of this target area, especially “problem” properties, non-conforming or obsolete uses, etc.
However, the primary focus of SDCHC’s activities was, and continues to be, the Rosedale Square Redevelopment Area Among the SDCHC’s successes in implementing its Housing Strategy was selling the vacant two-family building at 6029 Washington that SDCHC had acquired in 1990.
The buyer, Mark Ippolito, is rehabbing the building and he will occupy one of the units for at least three years. SDCHC also acquired the laundromat at 532 Des Peres. Negotiations for this purchase took months but SDCHC moved quickly after the August 1 closing and had the existing structure razed within weeks. Union Electric granted SDCHC’s proposal for landscaping through the Green Leaf program.
The lot was planted early in December (see related article).
The board was pleased with the progress made in stabilizing the Rosedale Square Apartment project last year. Rosedale Square continues to challenge the SDCHC’s resources.
A committee of the board, together with manager Pat Sweet, worked very hard to improve the buildings by having furnaces installed in the basements, painting common areas, repairing sidewalks and hiring a contractor to trim the healthy trees, remove dead trees, etc.
The budget for 1992 includes additional improvements for this project. SDCHC also moved forward on redevelopment plans for three properties: 6025 Westminster, 6048 Washington, and 6036 Washington.
An architect has completed drawings for the rehab of 6025 Westminster converting the second and third floors to a townhouse unit. when completed, SDCHC will market the building to an owner-occupant who would live in the townhouse and rent the first floor unit. Plans are also to convert 6048. Washington to two attached townhouse units. SDCHC is forming a partnership with private developers for this project the board is hopeful that construction will get underway in spring 1992.
These two fee simple townhouses will also be marketed to owner-occupants. 6036 Washington is a six unit building that SDCHC acquired in 1989.
The board has developed plans to moderately rehab the units and continue to operate it as part of the Rosedale Square rental project. 1991 saw the transfer of several scattered site multi-family propertiesfrom private ownership to the Technical Assistance Corporation (TAC), a quasi-public agency formed by the City. Acquisitions of financially troubled projects by TAC occurred throughout the city and involved dozens of private owners and millions of dollars [apparent missing wording in source] tirelessly with TAC and City officials on the transfer of the eleven properties in this neighborhood has a small, but important interest in the ownership of these buildings. SDCHC continues to monitor management, maintenance, and financial stability of these buildings.
The long-range, long-standing goals of the SDCHC are to increase owner-occupancy and to decrease density.
As outlined above, the plans for all of SDCHC’s properties are guided by these goals.
The density issue is of particular concern with the areas of multifamily buildings. these buildings were constructed at the turn of the century when most tenants used public transportation and did not own cars. SDCHC recognizes parking and overcrowding as nagging problems for the neighborhood. SDCHC board members are proud of the organization’s accomplishments in 1991, but acknowledge that there is still much to be done. Many plans were developed in 1991 that will be implemented in 1992. the year promises to be just as productive and busy as 1991. •
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, February 1992.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: TAC paragraph contains apparent printed missing clause after millions of dollars; source fragment retained with marker, not invented.
Original source: SD_Times1992_02.pdf, printed page(s) 4; PDF page(s) 4.
