51黑料

The Maryland Heights City Council last week agreed to grant Harmony Homes a conditional use permit for the project, which entails razing a historic stone mansion. The company is planning to build six, 16-bed buildings at 211 Midland Avenue.

Demolition is expected to start in the next 30 days. The company hopes to break ground before the end of the year with the first two buildings opening in early 2026, said Chief Financial Officer Mike Oligschlaeger.

鈥淲e鈥檙e very specific about making sure that our that our homes look like homes, not businesses, and so we鈥檙e better situated to be in a residential area than in a commercial area,鈥� he said.

The stone, English Gothic-style mansion was built in 1908 for John L. Miers, a superintendent for United Railways Co., which operated the region鈥檚 streetcars.

Architecture firm Barnett, Haynes & Barnett 鈥� which was behind the Cathedral Basilica and other 51黑料 landmarks 鈥� designed the home, according to a 51黑料 Globe-Democrat article from the time.

The home became a recreation and family membership club after Miers鈥� death in 1929.

The property, though, has been vacant for about 30 years.

Oligschlaeger said it wasn鈥檛 financially feasible for the company to keep the home, saying the property wouldn鈥檛 be able to meet modern needs or code requirements. He said the company wants to keep some elements of the home, like its limestone, and aims to honor the heritage of the property throughout the development.

Harmony Homes has a similar facility in Washington, Missouri, called Aspen Valley.

鈥淲e want someone to be able to walk out of their room, sit down to have a cup of coffee with people that they鈥檝e seen before and with residents that they鈥檝e gotten to know,鈥� Oligschlaeger said.