ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) -ST. LOUIS — Matt Horn watched more than two decades of family ownership and future dreams go up in smoke when fire destroyed his century-old building in south St. Louis this week.

Horn, who owns Seal Tight Masonry, had been working on plans to transform part of the historic property into State Street Mercantile, a corner cafe and boutique. His family had owned the building for more than 20 years, and Horn used part of it for storage while developing his vision for the other half.

“The hardest part is seeing it like this because it was so beautiful,” Horn said, looking at the smoldering remains. “Our plans were to open up a bakery and a little mercantile or a boutique.”

St. Louis fire officials believe the blaze was started by unhoused people trying to sta

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