"Scott Schwartz, an employee at the Timberlake Apartments, trying out the fire escape. The storage area on the left was also in violation (of fire safety laws)."
"Concern over Timberlake: Kirkwood officials said Thursday that the city apparently allowed construction of the Timberlake Apartments complex in the late 1960s in violation of fire and building codes that were in effect then. As a result, city officials probably will ask a St. Louis County judge Monday to decide whether about 100 tenants in 47 units should be evicted from the complex because of those fire code violations. The buildings violate not only the fire codes existing in the late 1960s, but also those that now apply to newly constructed buildings. Kirkwood officials had said Wednesday that they would go to court Friday to have these residents evicted from the 47 apartments that were found to be in violation of the fire code. Now, however, Kirkwood's chief administrative officer, Michael Brown, says the city may have erred in approving construction of the $7.5 million complex."
The building's interior has been gutted, and construction crews are busily working to meet the May 10 opening date of what is called St. Louis' first downtown rehabbed loft apartment project.