Belleville’s demolition list includes three derelict homes owned by same company
A list of buildings that the city of Belleville plans to demolish this spring includes a historically significant but badly damaged “mansion” and three derelict homes owned by an out-of-state company that officials have battled for years over property maintenance.
The city will pay Stutz Excavating in Alton $265,200 to tear down homes, garages, sheds and other structures and clear brush and debris from 14 locations in the next month and a half.
“All these houses are in horrible shape,” said Scott Tyler, the city’s director of health, housing and building.
Some of the homes were abandoned and left to deteriorate. Others have been trashed by squatters or scavengers. Still others are damaged by fire or water coming through leaky roofs.
Tyler said he’s probably received the most complaints about a small brick home at 221 N. Sixth St.
“The house is falling apart,” he said. “It’s full of trash. The yard is overgrown. You can barely see the house. People have been dumping there. We’ve cleaned it up a couple of times.”
That home is owned by Topstone Investment, a limited liability company organized in Missouri with a post office box in Blue Springs.
The company also owns two other derelict homes that the city plans to demolish this spring, one at 217 N. Jackson St. and one at 507 N. Jackson St. The total cost for the three is $50,600.
“(Topstone) had six homes in Belleville,” Tyler said. “We already tore down one. Now we’re getting ready to tear down three more. There’s two left. These houses have all been vacant since I’ve been in this job.”
Tyler was hired in 2021. The city spent $27,200 in 2024 to demolish the home owned by Topstone at 520 N. Illinois St.
Officials got a judge’s permission to tear down the condemned home after issuing citations for code violations and not being able to reach the owners for more than a year, according to Tyler. Just before the demolition, a fire broke out in the garage. A homeless man was found dead inside.
Kent Mak, a Topstone executive and registered agent, later complained about the home being torn down and told the BND that the owners were unaware that any of their properties were condemned.
“None of these buildings need to be torn down,” Mak said at the time. He couldn’t be reached for comment this week.
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Also on the city’s demolition list is a two-story Italianate brick home at 321 W. C St. that was built in 1878 by John Maule, who owned about 15 coal mines in the region. Belleville Historical Society considers it historically significant due to its age, architecture and original owner.
Several people tried to save “Maule Mansion,” but the home needed costly renovations due to its dilapidated condition. It sat vacant for years, then a fire burned the upper level last fall.
Larry Betz, president of the historical society, said he recently talked to Mayor Jenny Gain Meyer, who convinced him that there was no way to save the 148-year-old home.
“It’s a shame,” he said this week.
Belleville City Council voted at its May 4 meeting to hire Stutz Excavating to do the demolition work this spring. That company submitted the lowest of five bids, according to officials.
Here’s a full list of properties on the demolition list, including what will be removed and how much it will cost:
- 110 S. 37th St. (garage, downed tree, all scrub brush), $15,550
- 113 S. 12th St. (house, shed, concrete steps and wall and all scrub brush), $18,850
- 119 S. 12th St. (house, block wall and all scrub brush), $21,050
- 1614-1616 Dutch Hollow Road (clear entire property and all scrub brush between property and Highwood Drive), $17,250
- 18 S. Michigan Ave. (house, shed and all scrub brush), $15,850
- 217 N. Jackson St. (house, trash, saplings on north side of rear yard, all piles of concrete/rock, all scrub brush and level property), $18,800
- 221 N. Sixth St. (house, shed, concrete wall in rear, downed tree in rear and all scrub brush), $16,400
- 321 W. C St. (house, garage and rear brick building, all fencing and all scrub brush), $20,650
- 507 N. Jackson St. (house, all fencing and all scrub brush), $15,400
- 510 N. First St. (house, garage in rear, all scrub brush), $21,050
- 512 N. First St. (house, block wall in front, all scrub brush), $14,050
- 514 Freeburg Ave. (both buildings, tree on northeast corner at rear and all scrub brush), $23,050
- 614 E. McKinley St. (house, fence, shed, carport, concrete wall, steps and sidewalk on side of house, all scrub brush), $23,050
- 719 W. Monroe St. (house, garage, proper abandonment of brick well, fencing, concrete loose and block walls and all scrub brush), S24,250
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