By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis – A century-old industrial landmark in south St. Louis is being demolished to make way for condos and stores. Workers are dismantling a giant steel tank that was once used to store natural gas.
Laclede Gas built the gasometer in 1901. It's giant lid, almost an acre big, would rise inside a round steel frame when gas was pumped in.
It has been out of service for six years. And developers Jerry King and Steve Trampe plan to build homes and retail space on the site.
Workers have already started taking apart the bottom part, and Trampe said dismantling the tower will be next.
"It'll probably be another three weeks before you will see cranes, and possibly some steel men balancing on the top of the tank," Trampe said.
The developers are saving a brick pump building on the property. They plan to convert it into four condominiums.
Developers in Vienna, Austria turned four old gasometers there into apartments and retail space. But Trampe said that would be cost-prohibitive here without a major government subsidy.