St. Louis Wraps Up First Phase of Tornado Demolitions
Date Posted: October 27, 2026
Posted In: Projects,
From St. Louis Public Radio: More than 17 months after a tornado tore through north St. Louis, the city is nearing the end of its first phase of demolitions.
St. Louis’ recovery office announced Tuesday that crews have now torn down more than 560 buildings. That’s up from fewer than 100 demolitions in May, roughly a year after the storm.
City officials estimate that 1,400 to 1,600 total demolitions are needed throughout the entire tornado damage zone.
During the first phase, crews prioritized buildings that posed immediate safety threats, were located along major traffic corridors or whose owners requested demolition.
“Families were living next to buildings that could come down at any moment,” Mayor Cara Spencer said in a statement. “Phase 1 was about making every block safe. We will finish that work in Phase 2 as we begin to shift our focus to rebuilding.”
Phase 2, which is expected to start in early 2027, will focus on remaining emergency demolitions and owner-requested projects. The city also hopes to address debris and vegetation on some cleared lots, secondary structures not covered by federal assistance and demolitions connected to major neighborhood rebuilding projects.
A third phase will target additional demolitions tied to economic recovery and neighborhood redevelopment.