Construction at the Benton Park Tiny House slowed down at the end of 2022. Other than a couple of workshops held there and the theft of a trailer, things have been quiet on the 7,000-square-foot lot. Now that St. Louis has shaken off the last of its winter frost, Rikki Watts and Dwayne Tiggs are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work.
The project — along with Watts’ and Tiggs’ vision — is starting to take shape.
The foundation for the 420-square-foot house is nearly ready. “The first part of the footing is laid,” Tiggs told St. Louis on the Air. “We're coordinating with the plumber and engineer [to get] the drains and the water lines done.”
Watts has been tending to the urban garden, and there is a lot of growth peeking through the soil. “The elderberries are looking really good, and our grapes are coming back,” she said. “Then there’s [the] raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, [and] we put a bunch of trees in last weekend. We have an apple tree, persimmons, wild plum and serviceberries.”
The duo have been building their future home and farm with reclaimed materials, focusing on sustainable building practices and organic permanence. Their reputation of finding new ways to use discarded items has gotten the attention of their neighbors. “People have been really generous with materials,” Tiggs said. “A lady asked us if we wanted her broken plate, and we're like, ‘You know, that's really awesome.’ People are so excited about [construction]. They're like, ‘Y'all, I got a plate for you!’”
For more about the progress of the Benton Park Tiny House and upcoming workshops, listen to St. Louis on the Air on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or by clicking the play button below.
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Avery Rogers is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr. Send questions and comments about this story to talk@stlpr.org.
