ST. LOUIS – The City of St. Louis is set to demolish nearly 200 buildings damaged by a recent deadly tornado, using nearly $13 million from a previously approved program.

These buildings are owned by the city’s Land Reutilization Authority (LRA), and the demolition is part of a broader effort to address the widespread destruction caused by the tornado. City inspectors have identified nearly 2,500 properties with significant damage, with only a small percentage vacant, highlighting the extensive impact of the storm.

The 182 buildings slated for demolition represent a fraction of the more than 370 LRA properties that remain standing in the tornado’s path. The LRA plans to use nearly $13 million in funds from a previously approved program to carry out the demolitions.

City leaders are reconsidering a controversial private building stabilization program that St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer shut down shortly after taking office. The program, which used city funds to repair private properties when owners could not or would not, was ended due to transparency and ethics concerns.

With nearly 8,000 privately owned vacant buildings citywide, some officials argue that it’s time to rethink rebuilding strategies. The St. Louis Development Corporation is also exploring the possibility of setting up low-interest loans to assist home and business owners in their recovery efforts.

As St. Louis moves forward with the demolition of tornado-damaged buildings, city officials are faced with the challenge of addressing the broader impact on the community and exploring new strategies for rebuilding and recovery.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KTVI. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KTVI staff before being published.