Historical March 1996 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
During the redevelopment of DeBaliviere Place, the Pantheon Corporation created the DeBaliviere Association in conjunction with the Pershing Redevelopment Corporation.
The Pershing Redevelopment Corporation was established under Section 353. Because of its terms, Pershing Redevelopment Corporation had to form a neighborhood association which would assume responsibility for the upkeep of improvements made to the general area by the city.
The Mills Group acquired Pantheon and Pantheon continued to control the DeBaliviere Association.
Residents had no say in how the Association’s funds were collected, maintained, and disposed.
The Mills Group encouraged the location of a Walgreen’s on DeBaliviere at Pershing.
A number of residents became concerned and then organized. Not long thereafter, Neighborhood Housing Partnerships (NHP) took over from Mills.
For two years now, residents have greater control of Association finances.
The Association, which assesses condominiums and businesses, had failed to take action when assessments were not paid. Funds from the DeBaliviere Association had been comingled with Pantheon funds. Pantheon used its own crews to clear snow for complexes which are part of the Association. Pantheon also picked up trash and charged it to its own properties.
In turn, they did not collect Association dues from its own rental properties in DeBaliviere Place. Financial affairs were difficult to decipher.
Residents decided to begin anew.
They developed a strong when assessments were not paid. working relationship with NHP. NHP has a real commitment to the DeBaliviere area. Besides the DeBaliviere Place apartments and condominiums, Kingsbury Square and the Nina Place condos are part of the DeBaliviere Association.
A business association that represents the commercial properties along DeBaliviere, Delmar, and Pershing also is part of the master association.
The DeBaliviere Association meets every other month.
There are three directors: Barbara Jarrett, Lisa Beffa of NHP, and Angela Walsh from Kingsbury. Square. Interested members may also attend these meetings.
The Association currently manages a $115,000 budget.
The majority of their funds are spent on grounds maintenance and beautification and on security. Hi Tech Security patrols all Association properties 7 days a week and 4 hours per day on a staggered schedule. Hi Tech is staffed by off-duty St. Louis police officers. HiTech personnel have apprehended a number of individuals with outstanding warrants and recently caught a couple of perpetrators in the act in the western portion. Landscaping this year will include a combination of perennials and flower plantings.
The Association also wants to add a marketing program. Board members plan to work with the Skinker DeBaliviere Community Council on this and draw from their experience. It. would be a general marketing of the DeBaliviere area. rants and recently caught a couple
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, March 1996.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: Source repeats partial sentences at column bottoms; retained as printed, not silently reconstructed.
Original source: SD_Times1996_03.pdf, printed page(s) 6; PDF page(s) 6.
