The Compton Hill Water Tower is falling apart. Can St. Louis save it?

The Compton Hill Water Tower remains closed Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023, in St. Louis.

ST. LOUIS — A push to save a crumbling city landmark is picking up steam.

City Hall is seeking architects to perform a full review of the Compton Hill Water Tower, a model of French-Romanesque design that has stood sentinel over the Shaw and Compton Heights neighborhoods for 125 years.

Recent history has not been kind: Ornamental stonework has been falling off in chunks. The observation deck and its million-dollar view have been closed for years. And there are fears that deeper structural problems may lurk beneath its facade.

A "keep out" sign hangs on protective fencing around the Compton Hill Water Tower at South Grand and Shaw boulevards in Compton Hill Reservoir Park on June 29, 2021. The tower has been closed since 2019 because heavy pieces of concrete and ornamentation have fallen off the tower.

Deteriorating stonework can be seen on the Compton Hill Water Tower at South Grand and Shaw boulevards in Compton Hill Reservoir Park on June 29, 2021.

But advocates say the new city-funded architectural study could kick-start a restoration. Neighbors have already started raising money to help cover costs, expected to run into the millions. The area’s new alderwoman has pledged her support, too.

“The water tower is an icon of south city,” said Alderwoman Daniela Velázquez, of Shaw. “We want to do everything we can to make sure it stays that way.”

If neighbors and officials succeed, it would mark the latest revival in the structure’s long history.

The city water department built the tower in 1898 to prevent explosions: The water system at the time was prone to surges that could rupture pipes if unaddressed. The tower acted as a safety valve, taking in excess water and air from its neighboring reservoir to relieve the pressure.

But it was more than a cog in a machine. The walls of the stone and buff brick edifice were adorned with carvings of mythical animals and leaf patterns. Its spiral staircase led visitors to an observation deck with a 360-degree view of the city. A reported 5,000 people came through the tower and surrounding park during the 1904 World’s Fair.

The morning sun illuminates the top of the Compton Hill Water Tower at South Grand and Shaw boulevards in Compton Hill Reservoir Park on Tuesday, June 29, 2021. The tower has remained closed since 2019 because heavy pieces of concrete and limestone ornamentation have fallen off the tower. Photo by David Carson, [email protected]

When water system upgrades made the tower obsolete in the late 1920s, it remained as a landmark for the neighborhoods north of Tower Grove Park. It became a city landmark in 1966, and won a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

There was a close call in the 1990s. The tower was badly cracked on its eastern side and had exposed asbestos inside. The neighboring reservoir, built in 1867, needed a pricey new roof. Officials considered demolition.

But neighbors showed up in force to public meetings, demanding preservation and offering to help pay for it. And in 1999, officials and donors gathered to celebrate a multimillion-dollar refresh.

Now neighborhood leaders say they need another round. Since at least 2015, the stonework that tops the base of the tower has been falling apart bit by bit, sending pieces of limestone and concrete falling to the ground. The damage after a particularly bad winter three years ago forced leaders to put the tours on indefinite hold for visitors' safety.

A recent study said if something wasn’t done soon, the cost of restoration could become untenable, said Patty Taillon-Miller, president of the Water Tower Park and Preservation Society.

Fallen debris from the Compton Hill Water Tower sits behind a fence Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in St. Louis. Photo by Christine Tannous, [email protected]

But after years of uncertainty, the city is moving in the right direction, Taillon-Miller said. The forthcoming study commissioned by the water department should give officials and preservation society leaders a clear understanding of what’s wrong and how much it will cost to fix.

There is some concern about what the study might find. Phyllis Nolan, who has lived across the street from the tower’s park for 40 years, worried Monday that the cost estimate could be too much to bear.

But if the tower can be saved, she said, it will be worth it.

“That tower tells the history of St. Louis,” she said. “And it tells the history of water in St. Louis.”

The preservation society has raised about $100,000 so far, Taillon-Miller said. And she’s confident more will be coming.

“Our goal is make sure its still standing when it’s 250 years old,” she said.

They should start with Steve Harris. The 69-year-old retiree lives just across the park from the tower. He’s helped with tours in the past.

And he said the view really is stunning.

“You can see the JB bridge on a clear day,” he said. “It’s neat.”

Bids are due Sept. 15.

The Compton Hill Water Tower at South Grand and Shaw boulevards in Compton Hill Reservoir Park on Tuesday, June 29, 2021. The tower has remained closed since 2019 because heavy pieces of concrete and limestone ornamentation have fallen off the tower.

The Compton Hill Water Tower remains closed Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023, in St. Louis.

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