October 28, 2026
ST. LOUIS — Demolition work in the May 2025 tornado zone will largely pause in December except for emergencies, with the next phase planned for early 2027, city officials announced Tuesday.
The Recovery Office said more than 560 demolitions had been completed and that the first phase was expected to finish with more than 700. Those are different measures: the larger figure is a projected phase-end total, not work already completed.
The city estimates that 1,400 to 1,600 demolitions are needed across the tornado zone. It says another $40 million to $45 million is needed to address the full demolition scope; that figure is a funding estimate, not newly approved spending.
The next phase will prioritize remaining emergency work, dangerous or collapsed structures, high-traffic corridors and owner-requested demolitions.
City officials say later work will be coordinated with home repairs, resident-led neighborhood plans and rebuilding projects. Cleared properties include privately owned lots as well as land held by the Land Reutilization Authority.
Residents can check the city’s recovery website for demolition status. Questions can be directed to the Resident Support Team at 314-207-7395 or the STLRecovers Outreach Center, 4401 Natural Bridge Ave., weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
