May 12, 2002
House of the Month
2646 Arsenal/3100 Ohio

By Jo Ann Vatcha
Community Development Administration

The "House of the Month" for May features two brand-new townhouses, 2646 Arsenal and 3100 Ohio, in the Benton Park West Neighborhood of the City of St. Louis. Open from Noon-4:00 p.m., Sunday, May 12th, these spacious homes were recently completed by Pyramid Construction and are now available for sale at a great price.

The first floor of each townhouse has a contemporary floor plan, with a large kitchen and dining area adjoining a spacious living room. A center island is just one highlight of the kitchen. A private master bedroom suite, with its own full bath, is also located on the first floor, a new house feature requested by many homebuyers. Upstairs, there are two more large bedrooms, each with its own walk-in closet, as well as another full bath. The full height basement can be finished at a later date. The yard is fenced for privacy, and there is a concrete parking pad for each homeowner.

The street-facing facades of the homes are all-brick, and cornice brackets coordinate the new homes with the beautiful architecture of the neighborhood. There has been great attention to energy conservation measures and low maintenance for the homebuyer, including a high-efficiency A/C and furnace. 2646 Arsenal and 3100 Ohio were developed by Pyramid Construction, working with DeSales Community Housing Corporation. The project was financed by Jefferson Heritage Bank and the Community Development Administration.

Over the last ten years, Pyramid has developed over 350 for-sale homes. Their successes include 16 scattered site new homes and rehabs in the Benton Park West Neighborhood and 25 homes in nearby Benton Park Neighborhood. 2646 Arsenal and 3100 Ohio are listed at $110,000 and are eligible for ten-year tax abatement. A Homeowner Warranty Policy will be available to the buyers.

The 3100 block of Ohio was designated a target area in part because great neighbors on that block have made their own substaintial reinvestment over the past decade. Named a "Sustainable Neighborhood" by the Danforth Foundation's "St. Louis 2004", Benton Park West has engaged in long range planning and also has created a charming community garden, where neighbors can landscape together. Several churches and outstanding organizations serve the area, including the Five Church Older Adult Center, which is rehabbing a new headquarters building nearby, at Arsenal near Gravois.

The neighborhood is located west of lovely Benton Park. Its boundaries extend from Gravois and Jefferson south to Cherokee Street, with its diverse commercial activity, site of the recent Cinco De Mayo Festival.

Over the past few years, CDA has worked with 9th Ward Alderman Ken Ortmann, the Benton Park West Housing Corporation, and private developers to complete 18 houses, all sold to new homebuyers. Two additional new homes will be built this summer by Pyramid on Ohio Street, and three homes will be rehabbed by Millenium Restoration. The neighborhood housing corporation is planning more single-family homes for 2003, and the official survey will take place to designate the neighborhood a historic district.

To learn more about both historic rehabs and newly constructed homes in St. Louis, visit our City of St. Louis website. For more information on Pyramid Construction and 2646 Arsenal/3100 Ohio, call Stan Presson at (314) 773-7333. To reach Benton Park West from Highways 40/64 or 44, take the Jefferson exit and drive south, turn right on Arsenal to Ohio.