Houses, gas station demolished near River Campus

~ Southeast Missouri State University's foundation is negotiating with the owners to obtain the properties

The air was filled with dust Thursday and Friday near the River Campus as old buildings were demolished, possibly to make room for parking.

Two houses owned by Apple Creek Investments LLC were torn down near Morgan Oak and South Lorimier streets. A nearby Bi-State Oil Co. gas station, which closed Dec. 31, is also being leveled, according to owner Scott Blank.

Southeast Missouri State University's foundation is negotiating with the owners to obtain the properties, said Wayne Smith, the vice president for university advancement and executive director of the foundation.

The space could be used to create additional parking for crowds attending evening performances at the River Campus.

"Our interest in the properties is based on receiving those properties once they are cleared with demolition and environmental concerns have been addressed. I can't go much into that because we haven't finalized contracts," Smith said.

Blank said he could not "confirm or deny anything."

The River Campus has 206 student parking spaces, 60 faculty or staff spaces, eight handicapped spaces and nine spaces for museum patrons, said Doug Richards, director of public safety.

Students pay $145 for a university "preferred" parking pass, plus $25 a year to park at the River Campus.

"Presently we have adequate parking for our students, but we really run into a problem when we have night events like plays and so forth," Richards said.

For some sold-out performances the university has had to bus people from overflow lots, he said.

Southeast's foundation already owns property at 302 Morgan Oak St., the former location of Betty's Restaurant, which has been torn down. In addition to the two houses, Apple Creek Investments also owns vacant land behind the houses, Wayne said.

Drawing and design work has not been completed, Richards said, but if implemented as conceptualized, it could lead to a "significant increase in overall parking." He said the parking would be single-level.

Smith did not know when negotiations are expected to be complete.

"It would be a goal to have it happen as soon as possible. I'm sure the owners are working to ensure the land is ready for sale. You can see the results of what they're doing as we speak," he said.

lbavolek@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123