On Thursday morning, the City of St. Robert, Missouri, began razing the distinctive but troubled Alpine Haus motel along Route 66.
The city hopes that clearing the vacant property would lead to other development, according to a city news release.
Residents driving by over the next several days may notice that the front of the building remains standing. This is intentional.
For safety reasons, demolition is beginning from the rear of the structure and will progress toward the front. By working from the back forward, crews can safely bring the main portion of the building down while minimizing risks to nearby power lines, utilities, neighboring properties, and traffic along Old Route 66.
Because of the size and complexity of the structure, demolition is expected to take approximately one week to complete, after which the site will be cleared and leveled.
“This project is about more than removing an old building,” said Mayor James W. Breckinridge. “It’s about preparing this property for a new beginning. By investing a minimal amount of City resources and utilizing our own staff and equipment, we’re taking an important step toward creating opportunities for future private development and continued investment in St. Robert.”
The city began taking steps two years ago to declare the property a nuisance so it could be torn down. The city had tried to prompt the owner, Real Estate Investments LLC of Columbia, Missouri, to do something about the tract.
The city also posted a bunch of photos from the demolition:
The property at 632 Old Route 66 was built in 1985, with a tiny cottage atop the complex’s main building.
TheRoute_66.com reported the motel’s sign once read Oakwood Village, the name of a cabins complex and gas station that stood there.
The Alpine Haus suffered a fire in 2008 that damaged or destroyed six of the units. Then there was a homicide at the motel in 2013.
(Image of the demolition of the Alpine Haus complex by the City of St. Robert, Missouri)