Jefferson City prepares for possible demolition of historic J.C. Penney building

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Jefferson City municipal government is preparing for the possible demolition of the historic former J.C. Penney building, though officials say a developer could save part of the structure.

The building at 206-208 E. High St. has been on the city’s dangerous-building list since 2023 and has been vacant since 2018, according to city records.

The two-story structure was built in the 1880s and originally housed a store operated by the Dallmeyer family, according to the Historic City of Jefferson. It later housed a J.C. Penney store for several years.

Dave Helmick, director of Jefferson City’s Planning and Protective Services Department, said the current owners, E&G Investments LLC, purchased the building after it became vacant.

The city’s code defines a dangerous building as one that poses a risk to the health, safety or welfare of Jefferson City residents. Examples of dangerous conditions include collapsing roofs, damaged foundation walls, exposure to the weather and a lack of electricity or smoke detectors.

Helmick said the owners removed part of the building several years ago, leaving the remaining structure exposed to the elements. Little renovation work has occurred since the partial demolition, he said.

“Over the last couple of years, it’s had weather exposure, water infiltration, the bricks are separating, there’s pieces of it that are falling off, the inside is exposed to the elements of the ceilings are collapsing, and there's just a severe deterioration of the envelope of the structure as well as the roof and the inside of it,” Helmick said.  

The city also has received reports of people breaking into the building, creating additional safety risks for first responders and city staff who enter to inspect the property or respond to calls, Helmick said.

The city conducted a structural assessment of the building in 2025 to determine the extent of the damage. City staff returned earlier this week for a follow-up inspection.

The Jefferson City Fire Department also provided a ladder truck during the follow-up inspection to help staff access the building’s upper levels because the stairs are unsafe to use, Helmick said.

The city has hired a firm to prepare an engineered demolition plan, which Helmick expects to be completed in the coming weeks.

The building’s location complicates demolition because it sits between two other buildings, Helmick said. An engineered plan would help the city prepare to remove the structure safely if demolition becomes necessary.

The process has taken years in part because the city must follow legal procedures to notify property owners of code violations and give them time to address the problems.

Helmick said the property has completed that legal process. The city is now waiting for the demolition plan and for funding or a change in ownership before determining how to proceed.

The city could demolish the building if funding becomes available, Helmick said. Alternatively, the current owners could demolish it themselves or sell the property to a buyer willing to do so.

“If there was funding that was available where the city could do the demolition, then the city would be able to step in and immediately do the demolition,” Helmick said. 

Demolition is not the only possibility, however. Helmick said a private developer willing to invest in the property might be able to preserve the front portion of the building, although at least part of the structure would need to be removed.

The city prefers that property owners address problems with their buildings, Helmick said, but the demolition plan would allow officials to prepare to act if necessary.

Wyatt Prosch, a Jefferson City-based realtor with an office downtown, said he would like to see the building renovated rather than demolished.

Prosch said he is frustrated by the demolition of historic downtown buildings without subsequent redevelopment. He cited portions of East Capitol Street as an example of areas where buildings were removed but not replaced.

Prosch estimated that renovating the former J.C. Penney building would cost millions of dollars, though he said a long-term investment could potentially be profitable.

“It’s an expensive project to take that on. If somebody would do it, they could probably make money in the long term. It just depends how much money they want to spend out front, you know?” Helmick said.