Historical April–May 2023 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
The owner of the 1930s era transmission tower at 532 DeBaliviere plans to replace it this summer. Minneapolis-based Hubbard Radio LLC (no relation to the Hubbard family of St. Louis) filed a $2.3M building permit application for a 550-foot tall transmission tower that hosts equipment for four radio stations on January 23rd.
They plan to build the new tower closer to DeBaliviere while the old one remains in service until such time that equipment can be moved over to the new one and the old one demolished.
The plan was presented at the March 27th Preservation Board meeting.
The site is within the Central West End Historic District which forbids antennas.
The Cultural Resources Office Director denied the permit on that basis. Curtis Holland of the Polsinelli Law Firm spoke on behalf of the owners at the meeting.
He testified that the tower was overloaded by 600%, and that it presents a “very significant safety issue.” He said they’ve been in communication with Crossroads School, and that they are not opposed to their plan so long as construction occurs during the summer months when there is less activity at the school.
He agreed to work with the Cultural Resources Office on screening options at the street level along DeBaliviere.
The Preservation Board voted unanimously to overturn the CRO Director’s denial and approved the applicant’s appeal.
The next stop for the proposal is the Board of Adjustment for consideration of zoning variance(s).
It is on the agenda of the April 19th meeting at 1:30pm.
Original photograph caption
Proposed replacement transmission tower location outlined on De Baliviere streetscape.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, April–May 2023.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2023_04.pdf, printed page(s) 1; PDF page(s) 1.
