St. Louis property owner waiting for just compensation to be paid for property taken by eminent domain

In July 2008, a jury awarded Bill Simon $2,871,200, an increase of approximately $1.6 million over what he had initially been offered. (See our previous post about the case here.) The court entered a judgment against the Land Clearance and Redevelopment Authority (LCRA) requiring the city agency to pay the verdict amount plus $317,427 in pre-trial interest and $475 per day in interest thereafter. The LCRA appealed and an appellate court upheld the verdict. The LCRA then appealed to the Missouri Supreme Court, which on March 23, 2010 declined to hear the city’s appeal.

LCRA officials have explained to Mr. Simon’s attorneys, Bob Denlow and Paul Henry, that their client will get paid the additional amount only after the developer has paid the city. But Denlow and Henry argue that eminent domain does not work that way. Bob Denlow explained to Fox News, “…the city exercised the power of condemnation…when you take somebody’s property in condemnation, you’re responsible to pay. It’s required under the Constitution.”

For more about this case see Heather Ratcliffe’s 5/12/2010 article here from the St. Louis Post Dispatch online.

UPDATE: The law firm of Denlow & Henry (see disclosure below) has posted here a calculation that currently totals $2.2 million with accrued interest due to this property owner for the condemnation of his property by the LCRA.

Disclosure: Robert (“Bob”) Denlow, Esq., represents this property owner and is the OCA Member attorney for Missouri.  Visit Fox News website here to view an interview with Mr. Denlow and property owner, Bill Simon.

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