Cupples 7 Near Collapse, City Says

The City of St. Louis has put Kevin McGowan and Nathaniel Walsh on notice that the the Cupples 7 warehouse at Spruce and 11th streets is in danger of collapse.

The pair, who once worked together as Ballpark Lofts III LLC received a letter from the city, notifying them that the building poses a danger. The St. Louis Post-Disptach quoted McGowan as saying that he was aware of the building's severe structural problems when the pair acquired it. He was quoted as saying that the building cannot be feasibly renovated in the current market.

The city gave McGowan and Walsh seven days to reply or face city actions to reduce the alleged risks from the building's collapse, for which they would be charged by the city. The city had previously filed a lawsuit against them.

The 104-year-old structure is part of a the nine-building Cupples Station warehouse complex, which was mostly renovated into a hotel, offices, and lofts during the 2000s. McGowan and Walsh acquired the last three buildings together. They renovated Building 8 into lofts and prepared Building 9 for renovation before selling it.

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