[no source, no date]
WILL BUILD BIG FAMILY
APARTMENT IN ST. CHARLES
Preston Van Cheek
Announces Purchase of Shore Property at Benton and Lewis for Structure
SURVEY ORDERED
Would Contain Between
65 and 80 Apartments to Meet Growing Housing Need Here
Plans for
construction of a 65- to 80-family style apartment on the Shore property at
Benton and Lewis was announced today by Preston Van Cheek, consulting actuary
who resides at 2000 North Fourth street.
Van Cheek
said the property was purchased from Miss Katie Shore, whose ancestors owned
the site for almost a century. The sale price was not disclosed.
A
three-story Virginia-style home with a beautiful winding staircase, which runs
from the main to the third floor is located on the northeast end of the
property and may be preserved.
The new
owner said he was receiving financial aid from St. Louis interests for
construction of the apartment which will cost a minimum of $90,000.
An engineer
was expected to look over the land and determine what type of structure will be
built. The building will be four or five stories or perhaps taller, Van Cheek
said. It will be the tallest building in St. Charles; the four-story Moose
building now topping the St. Charles skyline.
Van Cheek
said the apartment will be constructed to meet the growing housing need in St.
Charles.
John T.
Craven of St. Louis has been engaged as architect and engineer. Mr. Van Cheek
said the rental would be based upon standard apartment house rental.
Preliminary
plans include ten furnished buffet kitchen apartments with a living room,
kitchen, closets and bath; 30 unfurnished including living room, kitchenette,
bed room, bath and closets; 25 unfurnished including, living room, bed room,
dining room, kitchen, bath and closets and 15 unfurnished including, living
room, two bedrooms, dining room, kitchen, bath and closets.
==========
[no source, no date]
TNT EMPLOYES MAKING
HOMES IN ST. L. COUNTY
Scarcity of
Residences In St. Charles and county Causes Boom at Manhasset Village
BUSES MAKE TRIPS
Work on 80-Family
Apartment, Proposed by Van Cheek, Has Never Been Started
Majority of
the office employees at the Weldon Spring TNT plant have gone to St. Louis
county to make their homes because of the scarcity of available places in St.
Charles and County.
Manhasset
Village, a Government project, supplied 140 apartments as soon as the offices
were set up. A special bus takes workers to and from the project each day while
many drive their own cars.
In
addition, special buses operate between St. Charles and the Delmar loop in St.
Louis to the plant.
While some
of the key officials occupy homes inside the area, many are still looking for
places to live. The Government is now constructing 15 homes in the safety zone
but they will be occupied by company officials.
Construction
of the 80-family apartment proposed by Preston Van Cheek last November has
never been started. Van Cheek announced at one time he had more applications
from TNT officials than proposed apartments and would begin construction as
soon as possible.
Van Cheek
obtained an option on the Shore property at Benton and Lewis but no record of
it being exercised has been filed.
Van Cheek,
at present, is interested in real estate development near Cottleville. At one
time he offered a 40-family apartment near where the new Howell High School will
be constructed. The location has not been selected at the present time.
==========
[no source, December 4, 1940]
NEW C. OF C. HEAD
WARNS AGAINST OVER EXPANSION
[Handwritten: Dec. 4,
1940]
Said Reasonable
Business Boom Could Be Expected Within Two or Three Years in St. Charles
NO “GHOST TOWNS”
Cites Government
Refusal To Approve Housing Program In New Indiana Town Near Plant
J. Ed.
Travis, newly elected president of the Chamber of Commerce told members at a
meeting Tuesday night that a reasonable increase in business could be expected
the next two years but urged them not to over expand. Travis addressed the
group in the basement of the St. Charles Borromeo Church where the session was
held.
The new
president told of the Government’s refusal to build homes in a new Indiana town
near a powder plant, similar to the one under construction at Weldon Spring
because the government did not want a “Ghost Town” after it was all over.
Travis said the Government suggested construction in New Albany and Jeffersonville,
Ind., established communities.
Travis said
too much expansion will leave this county with “Ghost Houses,” With an
estimated 8,000 to 12,000 persons needed at the plant Travis sees a housing
problem before us. He also predicted social problems during the next two or
three years and suggested action be taken now and not after the mountain gets
over us.
The new
president said possibility [one or more lines missing] Spring being built along
the river was rather remote as it did not meet the approval of the war
department officials. However, an effort will be made by the C of C to have the
road along the water in order to bring the people from the Augusta neighborhood
closer to this city. More information concerning the road is expected to be
obtained by a delegation, headed by Ed. Pundmann, who will attend a highway
meeting at Jefferson City, Thursday. The C of C highway committee will also
confer with Government officials concerning the location of the road from the
southwest part of the county.
The group
voted last night to hire a paid secretary at a salary of $125 a month and also
increased membership dues to $12 a year. Last year the dues and initiation fees
[one or more lines missing]
