Historic Preservation Commission approves demolitions at Algonquin Lane and 411 Greeley Avenue

The Webster Groves Historic Preservation Commission on June 23 approved two demolition requests: for a vacant superintendent’s house at 7 Algonquin Lane and for a deteriorated single‑family home at 411 Greeley Avenue.

Carlos Goldberg of Colleague Studio Architects told commissioners the superintendent’s house at the Algonquin Golf Club has been vacant for years, is in poor condition and is no longer suitable for occupancy. “The structure is not satisfactory for anybody to live in,” Goldberg said, adding the club seeks demolition partly to reduce annual property taxes and ongoing maintenance and insurance costs.

Commissioners did not raise objections to the Algonquin request. Following a motion and second, the commission approved the demolition by voice vote; the affirmative responses were recorded in the meeting transcript as three commissioners saying "aye." The commission formally closed the item and thanked the applicant.

At the meeting, property owner Roger Betlack of Horus requested demolition of the house at 411 Greeley Avenue, describing numerous code violations and extensive water infiltration that left the building deteriorated. “We bought it last year,” Betlack said, and said the owner intends to build a new house “to benefit a family to come live in Webster Groves.”

A commissioner asked whether the replacement house would be reviewed by the architectural review board; Betlack said yes. After discussion the commission moved and seconded approval, and the demolition request for 411 Greeley Avenue was approved by voice vote (the transcript records four affirmative "aye" responses).

Both approvals were routine votes taken during the meeting; no named mover or seconder is recorded in the transcript. Next steps described by applicants included coordination of future building plans with the city’s architectural review process.

The commission’s actions remove two deteriorated structures from the inventory of properties within Webster Groves’ historic review area. The meeting record does not list permit timelines or demolition start dates for either site.