Tall & Urban News

An architecture firm involved in a US$54 million revamp of downtown St. Louis' Chemical Building is suing developer Restoration St. Louis alleging it is owed nearly US$160,000.

The lawsuit filed in St. Louis Circuit Court by Kansas City-based Rosemann & Associates follows a July mechanic's lien related to construction and design plans Rosemann created for the Restoration St. Louis' reimagining of the Chemical Building. In that lien, Rosemann stated it was owed US$192,029.
 
On 15 January 2021, the two companies agreed to a payment plan of four installments. The lawsuit alleges that Restoration St. Louis made one payment but that it has yet to make the remaining payments totaling US$159,029. The lawsuit, filed 29 January 2021 does not state when the rest of the payments were to be made.

Amrit Gill, president and chairman of the board of Restoration St. Louis, said he was unaware of the lawsuit but added that his company had already paid Rosemann & Associates what was owed but did not give a specific amount. An attorney for Rosemann & Associates, Matt Hubbard of Kutak Rock LLP, declined to comment, stating they do not comment on pending litigation.

The Chemical Building is a historic, 125-year-old building at 721 Olive St. in downtown's central business district. Except for the sole tenant, Kessler Mroz Jewelry Inc., the 17-story building has been vacant for several years.

Several owners have tried to redevelop the property over the years, including New York-based Morgan Communities, which planned to develop "micro" apartments there. That project, however, was in danger of losing US$17 million in historic preservation tax credits after executives from an affiliated company, Morgan Management, pleaded guilty to charges over a multi-million dollar mortgage scheme. 

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