Benton Park Tiny Home Is ‘House Made Out of Trash’
Pictured Above: Rikki Watts, right, and Dwayne Tiggs in front of their home in the Benton Park neighborhood.
Date Posted: June 16, 2026
Posted In: Environment/Sustainability, Ideas,
From St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Rikki Watts and Dwayne Tiggs built a tiny house from the ground up on a vacant lot in Benton Park West, using salvaged materials sourced throughout St. Louis. Though it measures just 420 square feet, the home includes a living room, kitchen, loft bedroom and full bathroom. It sits on a double lot, where the couple has also added a greenhouse and several raised garden beds. Over time, the property has become a gathering place and a positive force in the neighborhood.
The tiny house is just one of four properties the couple owns in Benton Park West. Two decades ago, Tiggs purchased and renovated a home across the street, which they continue to use alongside the tiny house. They see their investments as extending beyond real estate to the people who call the neighborhood home, including many longtime residents.
They also own a third house and an adjacent lot, which they plan to transform into a community garden and green space for neighbors and friends. In September, they will be married there.
They also own a third house and an adjacent lot, which they plan to transform into a community garden and green space for neighbors and friends. In September, they will be married there.
The two first met in 2021. “I found him on the curb. Literally. We both went to a musical event at Yaquis,” Watts says. The outdoor concert at the popular Cherokee Street bar and restaurant put in motion a partnership that not only changed the landscape but also forged relationships with neighbors and like-minded folks who value conservation, restoration and sustainable living. They created a dynamic web of interaction that has benefitted hundreds of people in the area. Their skill sets meshed beautifully.