Residents Voice Concerns About Empty Lot, Safety

More than 60 residents gathered at the corner of East Ripa Avenue and Broadway Monday to ask for improvements on a lot that the county owns after it tore down a derelict building.

The rally, led by Sister Leonette Juengst of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, asked the St. Louis County Economic Council to mow the lot, keep it free of trash, level the uneven ground and drain the water.

“We were so excited when we saw that building come down,” Juengst said. “But now the lot is neglected. We want the space to be leveled out, no rocks, no tire and to look more presentable.”

The lot was formerly home to a four-family apartment complex that had fallen on bad times, said Beth Letscher, the South County specialist for the economic council.

“One of the first things the Port Authority did with the rent money from River City Casino was to make a visible difference,” she said. “They bought the land and tore down the building.”

Letscher said the building was demolished in March or April of 2010 and the council, who arranged mowing contracts for the previous year, kept up the land.

“We’ve all been out there pulling off trash,” she said. “The goal is to maintain the lot as a green space until another decision is made.”

Andrew Ruben, from the real estate and community development division in the economic council, promised Juengst and the crowd that he would make sure the lot got mowed at least twice a month. He said the council was waiting for the lot to settle before starting improvements.

After tearing down the building, the land started to sink, Ruben said. With additions of earth and seed, the land still sunk.

“Our mission is entirely consistent with your vision,” he said.

Letscher said the council would be willing to speak with organizations or residents who wanted to start a community garden or plant trees and shrubs.

“We need the community to get involved,” she said. “We consider this an important property.”

Residents also asked County Police to make the area safer by patrolling more often and adding a radar wagon or stealth radar at the intersection.

Cathryne Reid, who has lived with her children on East Ripa Avenue since 2005, said speeding cars traveling from Kingston Drive was a problem at the intersection of Broadway and Ripa.

“I can’t let my kids ride bikes,” she said. “They have to go to my mother’s to ride around.”

Officer Mike Schira with the Fourth Precinct in South County said that speed was the number one complaint he hears from residents, and that officers would do more patrols.

“We’re looking for residents to step out and let us know what’s going on,” he said.

To identify the problem, police placed a StealthStat radar at East Ripa Avenue for 52 hours from June 24 to 27. The radar was placed on a telephone pole and collected the speed of every car driving past.

Out of 1,792 cars, the average speed was 18.2 mph, with the speed limit being 25 mph.

“Less than .003 percent (five cars) of the vehicles surveyed were traveling at a speed which would have resulted in a citation being issued,” the report said.

Still, residents are concerned for the future of the corner and empty lot, which serves as an entry point to the Lemay community.

“We need safe streets for children and senior citizens and everyone in between,” Juengst said. “Our community deserves better.”