I really do want these buildings saved [stltoday.com]. But handling private owners is always double-edged; if you hit them for their neglect, you warn others to act, but you also make private owners less likely to step up in the future.
'course, that's the point? You want private folks to step in when they have an abundance of resources. You don't want museums run by people with no money to protect their wares. If the public will have to foot the bill either way.