Ten residential buildings within the Forest View apartment complex have been vacated due to multiple property maintenance and building code violations. The City of Crestwood was responsible for vacating those properties on May 20 at Building Commissioner John Frisella’s order.
Issues included “significant structural, electrical, plumbing and fire code violations,” according to Crestwood staff. The cited violations included electric service lines being less than 12 feet from residential walkways, exposed or deteriorated electric service lines, improper electric wiring, missing or noncompliant fire blocking and unapproved sealants, leaking plumbing stack that causes basement water infiltration, rotted and open subfloor areas in the basement, inadequate basement support structures and a failing and improperly supported exterior walkway.
The affected units on Mary Glen Drive were 9443-9449, 9451-9457, 9450-9454, 9400-9414, 9440-9442 and 9421-9431. The affected units on Park Crestwood Drive were 8634-8717, 8640-8709, 8706-8716, 8628-8723 and 8608-8624.
Many of the units were unoccupied, but for those residents still living in the Forest View apartment complex, Crestwood reportedly coordinated with Southgate Church Lead Pastor Scott Joggerst to provide support and resources.
In August 2024, issues at the Forest View apartment complex were first sighted by former Crestwood Fire Chief Leo Meyer and Building Inspector/Code Enforcement Officer John Kintz. They filed a report to the property owner about the code violations in October 2024 — by April 2025, no corrective action was taken.
After beginning a formal enforcement process to solve safety concerns, some issues remained unaddressed. “Multiple inspections by City and St. Louis County officials continued to confirm conditions that pose serious risks to residents,” stated a report by Crestwood city staff.
Between August 2025 and April 2026, Frisella deemed all 11 residential buildings within the Forest View apartment complex to be dangerous structures and ordered that the buildings be vacated and repaired. In January, Crestwood vacated one building within the complex located at 8500-8506 Park Crestwood Drive.
