Historical April–May 2003 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
In recent months, the names Amrit and Amy Gill have appeared with regularity in the Post-Dispatch and the Business Journal.
The Gills have acquired a number of venerable properties in Midtown and beyond and are doing what no one else did: rehabbing them and returning them to the tax rolls.
They have almost completed the Coronado across from Saint Louis University’s campus, a monumental task that has been widely heralded.
They will soon embark on the restoration of the Moolah Temple nearby.
In addition, they will begin redoing the Lindell Towers, which they have owned for awhile.
Most recently, they have acquired the old Carmelite monastery in Soulard. For this property and for Lindell Towers, they are using universal design, thus making their new apartments accessible to the disabled.
These ventures that have caught the attention of movers and shakers and many newspaper readers have their roots in Skinker DeBaliviere.
After moving to 57xx DeGiverville in 1989, the Gills embarked on a career in property management and then restoration.
She worked at Southwestern Bell and he, fresh with an M.B.A. from Washington University, was a market analyst for a private company handling mergers and acquisitions.
He made valuable contacts there.
In 1991, the 6-family building Amrit and Amy had once lived in by the Loop in University City came on the market.
They bought it and thus began their second and soon to be major career.
In 1993, the Gills moved to 61xx Westminster and began to acquire buildings in Skinker DeBaliviere. Their first acquisition was 6041 Wasington and, the following year, they bought properties on Kingsbury. Amrit said that he became very interested in historic property after joining the Skinker DeBaliviere Housing Corporation.
The Gills also acquired more buildings in University City and added two more buildings on Washington.
When his company moved to Ohio, he chose to remain in St. Louis and take on restoration and property management fulltime. Amrit acknowledged that both he and Amy have a passion for restoring historic buildings and particularly enjoy doing neighborhood projects.
He wants to help eliminate any problem properties remaining here. About four years ago, Amrit made a commitment to residents of Pershing to help with housing conditions there.
He has completed and sold 3 homes already and is currently completing two multifamily buildings, 5744 and 5750.
These multifamilies are being gut rehabbed.
The project architect is neighbor Chris Monzo.
These will be 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartments. Amy is responsible for their redesign.
In fact, she left Southwestern Bell last year to head up the design function and has an architect working for her.
These new apartments should be ready in May.
They are very visible from the Forest Park Parkway and are close to MetroLink.
In addition, work will soon begin at 5944 Pershing and at 6015 Westminster, both single family homes. And more is possible.
The Gills intend to remain active in neighborhood rehab. Next month, Amrit and Amy and their 3 children will move to 62xx Waterman. That will ensure that their focus remains dual: restoring the historic here and beyond. (Author’s note: I bought the first home the Gills restored on Pershing and really love it.)
Original photograph caption
Amrit and Amy Gill with a child in the source profile photograph. Child not individually identified; photographer not credited.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, April–May 2003.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2003_04.pdf, printed page(s) 3; PDF page(s) 3.
