2 of 20 homes sold in East St. Louis subdivision since 2024

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (First Alert 4) - About 90% of the homes in the Lansdowne Park subdivision in the Metro East have been vacant for more than a year. The man behind the project hopes a nearby state development will bring people in.

Lansdowne Park is a subdivision of new construction homes with large lots, paved streets and sidewalks. Inside, the homes have new appliances and an open-concept living area. The subdivision is less than a mile from the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center in East St. Louis.

Mark Mestemacher is board president of Lansdowne Up, a nonprofit he started with his wife. Lansdowne Up is the organization behind Lansdowne Park. Its mission is to transform East St. Louis one property at a time.

“Our goal was to be able to provide that opportunity to have quality housing in East St. Louis,” Mestemacher said.

Two homes sold since 2024

Since the 20-home subdivision was completed in 2024, two homes have sold. One of those was bought by Mestemacher and his wife.

The ranch and two-story homes have an average list price of $370,000. That is more than 6 1/2 times the average home price in East St. Louis.

Mestemacher was asked whether selling the homes has been more challenging than he originally thought.

“Yeah, probably,” he said. “There’s people who say we want to move back to East St. Louis but we don’t have the quality of home to move back. It’s been more of a challenge and a lot of pushback about the pricing of them. Quite honestly, it cost us more to build them than what we’re selling them for.”

Asked whether he has received offers below $360,000, Mestemacher said the homes could all be sold at lower prices.

“Oh yes, they could all be sold if we were willing to sell for 300 or 325, but we just feel like that’s not the right pricing. The right pricing is 370,” he said.

Mestemacher said the homes appraised at $370,000. He said he wants middle-class families to move to East St. Louis and acknowledged it will take a leap of faith.

“If you buy in this neighborhood, you’re buying into what we’re trying to sell, that this community of East St. Louis is going to become a community that thrives, just like a lot of other communities in the St. Louis region,” he said.

Mestemacher, a Metro East native, co-owns a barge transportation company. He paid for the housing development. He said proceeds from home sales go back to Lansdowne Up to continue building up the East St. Louis community.

State police headquarters planned nearby

Mestemacher said part of his hope for his family’s investment is tied to the new Illinois State Police Metro East Regional Headquarters. The $55 million, 60,000-square-foot facility is being funded by Illinois taxpayers.

The facility is being built on land Lansdowne Up donated to the state of Illinois for $1.

“I believe that the ISP, if it’s done in two years, within three years every one of these homes will be sold,” Mestemacher said.

Officials and residents on safety

State and local leaders have said a permanent state police presence will create a greater sense of safety and move East St. Louis forward.

“When people are coming through this community and deciding if this is a place to invest and build out different business models, leaderships, things that are growing that can be thriving in this area, when they see this type of public safety investment and that foundation you have to have where people feel safe, then undoubtedly it will benefit the community,” said Brendan Kelly, ISP director.

East St. Louis Mayor Charles Powell III said crime in the city is down.

“Crime has been down tremendously, over 50 percent across the board,” Powell said. “We have been doing what we need to as a city and also with the assistance of ISP.”

Many East St. Louis residents said they feel safer in their neighborhoods and that the ISP regional headquarters will improve safety.

Resident Gloria Hicks said once people learn to trust East St. Louis as a safe place, everybody will come back.

“The businesses come back, we need more stores, everything will come back when we get this up,” Hicks said.

Second development planned on Nectar Avenue

Mestemacher said Lansdowne Up plans another development on Nectar Avenue, a mile from Lansdowne Park. It will have 16 homes made from shipping containers, priced at $200,000.

Mestemacher was asked why he is moving forward with another development while the Lansdowne Park homes are selling slowly.

“We had already locked in on the homes and contracted with the company to build 16 of these, and we wanted a lower price point as well that’s geared to the young professionals,” he said.

East St. Louis has seen population decline over the last several decades.

“We just want to be that seed and get it started,” Mestemacher said. “If somebody doesn’t start, what happens, it’s going to just keep going down, so somebody has to take that step and say, ‘I believe in this community, I believe that it can come back.’ That’s what we’re trying to do at Lansdowne.”

“It is a commitment, and we’re here. We’re not going anywhere. We are going to be here, and we’re going to help push this community forward and try to make a difference in this community,” he said.