St. Louis University's request for permits to demolish the Pevely Dairy buildings is off Monday's agenda of the city's Preservation Board but that does not mean SLU is abandoning its effort to raze the historic complex.

A university spokesman said today that seeking a delay for a hearing on its request for demolition permits gives SLU more time to present its case to the city panel. SLU has said it wants to replace the Pevely complex with a building for its SLUCare physician's practice.

"This is an important project, and this request for deferral gives us more time to ensure that we provide the most comprehensive plan possible for the board's review," SLU spokesman Clayton Berry said in an email.

Developer Rick Yackey had planned to convert the Pevely buildings to 165 apartments and commercial space. But SLU disclosed in August it had bought the complex, which is adjacent to the university's med center.

SLU said last week it had examined the Pevely buildings, which date to about 1913, but found them unsuitable for conversion as medical offices.

Some preservationists argue that the main Pevely building could easily be remodeled for SLUCare use. They got a boost when the city's Cultural Resources Office denied SLU's applications for demo permits. For now, the effect of that ruling is that the Preservation Board will consider SLU's request as an appeal of the CRO's decision.

"We still plan to appeal, and our intention to build a state-of-the-art ambulatory care center at that location has not changed," Berry wrote. "However, we had been considering deferring our hearing since early last week, when we had a meeting with the city to review the process."

A new hearing date before the Preservation Board has yet to be scheduled. Stay tuned.