Demolition Approval for Historic Building 90 Blocked
Date Posted: March 31, 2026
Posted In: Projects,
From Mid Rivers Newsmagazine: The St. Charles City Council blocked approval for the demolition of a historic building, while developers say tearing it down is important for a proposed housing project.
In a 7-1 vote, the council overturned the decision of the city’s Landmarks Board to authorize the demolition of American Car Foundry (ACF) Building 90.
The Landmarks Board did this in January after voting not to find the preservation of the building technologically and economically feasible. The council filed an appeal of the board’s decision soon after, leading to its March 17 vote on the demolition.
“This is actually the council’s last opportunity to prevent an irreversible loss. Once a contributing historic structure is demolished, it is gone forever. No future development can replace that,” council member Denise Mitchell (Ward 5) said in February.
At the March 17 meeting, the building’s future hinged on the question of whether preserving it was realistic.
Council members and city staff pointed to a staff report that said preservation was technologically and economically feasible and highlighted that the building is used for athletic and community events.