The façade of the historic Cassilly & Cassilly building on Lafayette Avenue hints at the building’s unique past. Dragons wrap and coil across imitation terracotta, punctuating fine exterior details. However, edging closer to the back of the building reveals a different angle: gaping holes left in decayed brick and a roof peeled back to expose a vacuous interior.
The former studio, which once housed the workspaces of artists Bob and Gail Cassilly, faces demolition after years of ill upkeep, a vast transformation from the once-prominent creative center.
Beyond the beloved City Museum and the unfinished dream of Cementland, the stamp of the studio can be found throughout St. Louis’ rich artistic and architectural landscape. Purchased by the couple around 1983-84, the pair renovated the building from a grocery store into a studio inundated with art projects.
In 2015, four years after the passing of Bob Cassilly, the Cassilly estate sold the studio property to SphereAxis Development Group—effectively ending its maintenance.
“As far as I can tell from the interior that I have seen, nothing has ever been done since the Cassillys were in there,” Jackie Dana, writer of Unseen St. Louis, says. “I don’t believe the current owners ever did anything to maintain or protect that building. Part of the back wall has collapsed. The brick and part of the roof has collapsed. And it’s been allowed to just sit like that.”
SphereAxis Development Group, the current owners of the building, have previously pushed for demolition. In 2023, SphereAxis filed a demolition permit with the city, but the permit was denied by Meg Lousteau, director of the city’s Cultural Resource Office, which reviews all work within St. Louis’ 18 local historic districts. Despite the agency’s decision to save the property, the owners are still pursuing demolition. Preservationists and fans of the Cassillys hope to preserve the building. But if demolition is approved, they hope to at least spare the façade and relocate it.
“The pieces adorning the building’s facade carry historical significance, surpassing many of the artifacts housed within the City Museum,” said Mark Cassilly, the son of Bob and Gail Cassilly, in a recent press release denouncing the demolition efforts. “It would be a mistake to discard them. Instead, these pieces should be carefully removed and reincorporated into a new community-focused park. Imagining a space in Lafayette Park, for example, inspired by the City Museum’s interactive and exploratory ethos, could offer an exceptional addition to the community.”
Those interested in sharing their opinions on the proposed demolition can attend the February 26 meeting of the Preservation Board in person or via Zoom. Comment submissions to Preservation Board secretary Bennett Anderson are encouraged up to an hour before the meeting.
“If we can’t save the building,” Dana says. “We at least need to save the artwork.”