Sunset Hills Mayor Talks Tornado to News4 TV Thursday Over 'Ugly' View

KMOV News4 and Sunset Hills Mayor Bill Nolan talked Thursday noon at the site of the New Year's Eve tornado devastation, as inquiries grow over what's to be done with the site.

A handful of condemned houses still stand at the tornado strike site and blue tarps cover roof damage on other homes.

Nolan pointed out it's all private property on Court Drive and the corner of Lindbergh Boulevard that backs up to damaged property on West Watson Road.

Officials said previously that property owners are grappling with insurance companies or some did not have insurance at all and are facing tear-down costs.

Others in the community, who do not want to be named, have speculated that the location is ripe for commercial use if the economy picks up.

The city had its own share of cleanup and devastation in Watson Trail Park where an extensive picnic pavilion, bathrooms, tennis courts, public pool fencing and roof and trees were struck by 150 mph winds about noon on New Year's Eve day.

Touchdown was just feet from the Sunset Hills police station and not much farther from a brand new community center, public works building and City Hall.

Nolan suggested the city should likely take a wait-and-see approach while residents decide what's next with their damaged properties. Still, Nolan has led the efforts in many instances to collect the $226,000 so far in emergency donations for those same families turned out by the tornado.

"After all, it hasn't even been 90 days," Nolan said Thursday, referring to New Year's Eve when the twister hit. March 31 would be 90 days roughly.