Improvements and New Construction

There has been more than $2.5 billion in recent investment in a wide variety of projects throughout downtown St. Louis. Some of the larger developments include a $200 million casino and luxury hotel development on Laclede's Landing; a $360 million ballpark project; the $450 million mixed-use development and urban neighborhood to be known as Ballpark Village; and The Bottle District, a $290 million, 16-acre entertainment destination north of the Edward Jones Dome.
 

• 12/26/05  St. Louis 'renaissance' extends beyond ballpark
• 12/21/05  Aldermen back East Loop hotel, retail plan but timeline is hazy
• 11/28/05  City seeking bidders for Carondelet Coke 40 acres
• 11/23/05  New developments planned at Lafayette and Jefferson
• 11/21/05  Three groups make pitches for Chouteau's Landing
• 10/16/05  Plan for West Side biotech park runs into opposition
• 10/11/05  Grand Center district gets a sky-blue addition
• 09/28/05  Zoo announces new entryway sculpture, second in size only to Arch
• 09/26/05  CORTEX details plans for 173-acre tract
• 09/26/05  SLU builds $66 million 'green' facility that could pay back
• 09/21/05  Art Museum announces architect for long-deferred expansion
• 09/13/05  St. Louis Art Museum chooses Chipperfield to design expansion
• 09/08/05  Gentry's Landing owners want to give it a different look
• 08/26/05  It's Official! Harris Stowe Now A University
• 08/22/05  Barnes-Jewish plans new $45 million nursing school
• 08/22/05  SLU tops $22 million in funds for proposed arena
• 08/19/05  Roberts brothers might build mall at Delmar & Kingshighway
• 08/17/05  Aldermen, developers request TIF for three new East Loop projects
• 08/08/05  City to blight 246 acres for biotech
• 08/07/05  Development of Riverfront Moves Forward with Arch Grounds Connector
• 08/01/05  Danforth Foundation to fund downtown "lid" study
• 08/01/05  Construction on a new Highlands office building could begin this fall
• 08/01/05  Contest to link Arch with downtown gets funding
• 06/21/05  First greenway lake might be dry for about six years
• 06/17/05  Park is in works for East St. Louis riverfront
• 06/02/05  St. Louis University breaks ground on $67 million research facility
• 05/26/05  Clock may be ticking for development on premier building site
• 05/12/05  New building is planned at Washington Avenue and Tucker Boulevard
• 04/18/05  Clayco to build SLU's $67.5 million research building
• 04/11/05  More than $2.5 billion in development adds to dining, entertainment scene
• 03/31/05  Downtown rejuvenation shows no sign of slowing down in St. Louis
• 03/03/05  St. Louis: under construction!
• 03/01/05  Big Bucks Downtown: New security measures at Federal Reserve Bank
• 02/21/05  Hotels to get competition from Hilton, Residence Inn
• 02/21/05  Locust Street rivaling Washington Avenue for developers' dollars
• 02/21/05  Some key sites still idle along Washington Avenue
• 02/01/05  $2.5 Billion St. Louis Facelift
• 01/13/05  Washington University plans 20-acre expansion
• 01/10/05  Opus has CWE site under contract for possible high-rise

 

Renovation Projects
 

• 12/26/05  McGowan|Walsh investing $86 million on Cupples rehab
• 11/28/05  Cassilly, Jump generating ideas for old Power House
• 11/23/05  Lawrence Group completes work at Spool Thread
• 11/03/05  Developers offer hope for the Old Post Office
• 11/02/05  South Grand building earmarked for renovation
• 10/06/05  Couple is brewing new life into beer factory
• 10/05/05  Rattling skeletons of the North Riverfront Corridor
• 09/07/05  Downtown projects get $3 million in state tax credits
• 09/08/05  Empty Cupples warehouse gets owner with big plans
• 09/07/05  Temple for the arts: Centene Center for the Arts
• 09/05/05  Curtain's up: Breckenridge signs Kiel deal
• 08/30/05  Big Brothers, Sisters join a Grand plan for renovated Woolworth's
• 08/22/05  Nine area buildings headed to National Register of Historic Places
• 08/08/05  Downtown Marriott Pavillion will receive $15-million renovation as a Hilton
• 08/04/05  Tax credits clear the way for another downtown development
• 08/03/05  Restaurateur to pour more than $3 million into brewery building
• 08/02/05  Missouri to provide tax credits for Lucas Lofts work
• 07/31/05  Mike Shannon's will move with remake of hotel, bank
• 07/26/05  Centennial Malt House Nominated for National Register of Historic Places
• 07/25/05  Grand Center's court victory resurrects $130 million in projects
• 07/21/05  Abandoned apartments get new lease with $10.5 million makeover
• 07/13/05  Landmark apartments may be sold for debt
• 06/20/05  Last three buildings in Cupples complex sold to McGowan|Walsh
• 05/25/05  Midtown’s Aquinas Institute has lofty plans for future
• 05/24/05  Developer seeks a second chance with smaller TIF
• 05/23/05  Grand Center scores loan for new A&E home
• 05/11/05  Developers hope third time's a charm
• 05/04/05  Developers begin conversion of old schools, explore future options
• 05/01/05  Bank of America taps Woehle, Schenck to market Cupples
• 04/21/05  Kiel Opera House talks return to the center stage
• 04/18/05  Missouri ranks first in U.S. for investment in historic preservation
• 04/15/05  Rice Loses Appeal for Downtown Federal Building
• 04/14/05  Marquette Building is centerpiece of renovation
• 04/08/05  Sherman Associates get nod for downtown St. Louis renovation project
• 04/05/05  Developer picked to renovate Syndicate Trust Building
• 04/05/05  City Selects Sherman Assoc. to Redevelop Syndicate Trust Building
• 04/05/05  Sherman Associates, LoftWorks get nod to develop Syndicate Trust
• 03/31/05  When Preservation Equals Demolition
• 03/28/05  Developers threatened by tax credit bill
• 03/21/05  Drury completes Hilton St. Louis Downtown
• 03/21/05  Hilton St. Louis Downtown opens in historic Merchants Laclede building
• 03/21/05  Balke Brown-led group plans $25 million renovation of Pet Building
• 03/18/05  Downtown land baron John Steffen focuses on the road, not the bumps
• 03/14/05  Committee to pick Syndicate Trust proposal by month's end
• 03/14/05  Three firms vie to renovate 98-year-old building
• 03/09/05  Old schools are hot properties
• 03/03/05  Orpheum seems almost ready to fill in the stage and shadows
• 02/28/05  Developers snap up two properties on Washington
• 02/21/05  Out-of-state interests put $415 million in downtown
• 02/04/05  Clean-up Program May Get More Funding
• 01/31/05  Gills invest $17 million in Moolah building restoration
• 01/31/05  Hilliker, Wash able to sell most school properties
• 01/24/05  $20 million spread on Syndicate proposals
• 01/13/05  State issues $752K in tax credits to redevelop Pet Building
• 01/13/05  Bankers Loft project gets $1.7 mln in state tax credits
• 01/13/05  Two developers bid on Syndicate Trust

 

City Living    Lofts - Condos - Apartments - Housing - Washington Avenue

The market for more housing in downtown St. Louis is very strong. Recently, the demand for residential lofts, condos, and apartments downtown have outweighed the supply. Many of the loft projects that have been in development over the past few years are just now coming online. Many of projects have been more than 50% pre-sold, while others have been sold out. As more residents begin to move in this year, we should see other amenities appear as demand increases. For more information on what is available, check out the St. Louis Lofts or the Urban St. Louis websites.
 

• 12/14/05  4-unit Benton Park townhouse development for sale
• 12/14/05  Bosley Estates breaks ground featuring 150 new homes
• 12/09/05  Luxury Condos Push St. Louis Riverfront Redevelopment
• 12/08/05  Rodgers Group gets Pinnacle's downtown condo project
• 12/06/05  Developers plan to revive dormant corner of Lafayette Square
• 12/05/05  Bruce sets new tone for Beaumont Telephone Building
• 12/05/05  Merchandise Mart Apartments passes test
• 11/23/05  Last worst block’ of Skinker DeBaliviere sees infill boom
• 11/16/05  Onward and upward
• 11/10/05  Edison condos change downtown real estate
• 11/02/05  Lofts aren't the only housing being built downtown
• 11/01/05  The Park East Tower Rises 26 Stories High in the Central West End
• 10/28/05  Mills converts apartments to condos at Metropolis
• 10/25/05  New condo development will take advantage of riverside terrain
• 10/21/05  Columbus Square gets a face-lift, new name
• 10/21/05  Mills doubles Renaissance to $115 million
• 10/17/05  West End Estates a neighborhood on the grow
• 10/17/05  New Developments Give New Life To Two St. Louis Neighborhoods
• 10/17/05  Two City Neighborhoods Hold Groundbreaking
• 10/12/05  Conrad Properties begins $28 million condo building
• 10/12/05  Luxury apartments to be built across from new stadium
• 09/26/05  Opus plans $20 million Park East Lofts project
• 10/07/05  Old Packard building will become luxury lofts
• 10/04/05  A different kind of condo development
• 09/26/05  Marquette, University Village projects lure future tenants
• 09/26/05  Pyramid to debut condos at the Met in Grand Center
• 09/26/05  Top tier treatment at Conrad’s 4545 Lindell
• 09/23/05  Curtain goes up on plans for arts district condos
• 09/21/05  Virginia Mansion bought for condos
• 09/15/05  Gills Breathe New Life into Building
• 09/14/05  Further details emerge of 28-story condo project in CWE
• 09/07/05  Mansion House gets new lease on life
• 09/05/05  It's hats off to developer of Washington Avenue site
• 08/25/05  Owners would pump pizazz into yesteryear's apartments
• 08/24/05  Mansion House is spared sale after debt deal is worked out
• 08/23/05  Opus is going ahead with plans for second high-rise
• 08/18/05  Condos are key to revival of South Side Bank building
• 08/10/05  Neighbors bless church site redevelopment in Dogtown
• 08/01/05  Washington Avenue boosts condo popularity in region
• 08/01/05  City Scene: August 2005, The Healthy Planet
• 07/29/05  LA developers revive downtown's A.D. Brown building
• 07/27/05  Pricey: City housing prices soar
• 07/18/05  Lawrence Group, Parkside team up for Union Pacific Building
• 07/11/05  Dogtown loses some history, gains development
• 07/10/05  Bauer touts new home projects in Franz Park
• 06/20/05  Developer seeks a sweeter view for the old Switzer Licorice Building
• 06/15/05  More condos will nest on Washington Avenue
• 06/13/05  4545 Lindell is Conrad’s high-caliber condo
• 06/08/05  Couple plans new homes for Truman Center site
• 05/31/05  New downtown lofts stay 'true'
• 05/31/05  New downtown condos are all about the river
• 05/25/05  Loft Living in Midtown St. Louis : Spotlight on 3224 Locust
• 05/16/05  Cassilly builds on success with lofts atop City Museum
• 05/16/05  Three developers team on $60 million midtown rehab
• 05/16/05  Tax credits, buyer numbers pump up residential rehabs
• 05/12/05  Redevelopment of former Bardenheier Winery would create 100 lofts, more
• 05/01/05  Rothschild selling LaSalle Building floor by floor
• 05/01/05  150 residential units in the works at Gaslight Square
• 05/01/05  Lawrence Group partners up on South Side
• 04/27/05  Developers break ground on Majestic Stove Lofts, Park East Tower
• 04/21/05  Central West End Welcomes Park East Tower High-Rise
• 04/13/05  Condos will go up on site of former Shoney's Restaurant
• 04/13/05  Condo development might include TIF
• 04/01/05  Builder Mark Morley sets sights on St. Louis
• 03/30/05  Developer to unveil premium lofts
• 03/23/05  Condos will rise on river bluff along Broadway
• 03/14/05  Park East Tower Construction Begins
• 03/14/05  Lincoln gambles on Landing apartments
• 03/07/05  High-rise condos get off the ground
• 03/01/05  Falstaff Brewery will get $15 million makeover
• 03/03/05  Roberts Lofts on the Plaza Revitalizes Board of Education Building
• 02/28/05  Mayor Slay to Attend Fairground Redevelopment Groundbreaking
• 02/21/05  Occupancy stays steady despite housing growth
• 02/07/05  Boyle helped spur rebirth of South Grand neighborhood
• 01/31/05  Motor Parts building to get $12 million redevelopment
• 01/31/05  Robinson, Ulmer invest in north St. Louis projects
• 01/31/05  Regional housing alliance planning two new projects
• 01/27/05  Downtown population is single, young and growing
• 01/19/05  Rehabbing brings turnaround to neighborhood
• 01/18/05  Developers would give Lafayette Square a full smile
• 01/10/05  $6.8 million Linen Lofts project set near SLU arena
• 01/06/05  Polishing up 'Auto Row'

 

The Bottle District Development

In September of 2004, developers announced plans for "The Bottle District", a new $290 million, 16-acre entertainment destination. The development is to be located north of the Edward Jones Dome and is set to change the St. Louis skyline . A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Tuesday, September 27th. The still-evolving district would include entertainment, restaurants, shopping, offices and three condominium towers with up to 700 units. World-renowned architect Daniel Libeskind is designing the project.
 

• 09/28/05  Restaurants, businesses planned for $290 million development
• 09/28/05  Downtown Development Hopes To Revitalize City
• 09/27/05  Bottle District catches the eye of businessman from Charlotte
• 09/27/05  St. Louis' New Bottle District Breaks Ground
• 09/27/05  Ground broken on Bottle District project
• 09/27/05  Bottle District Construction Begins
• 09/26/05  Bottle District development to begin Tuesday
• 09/13/05  High-rise vision for the Bottle District
• 05/23/05  Libeskind redraws St. Louis skyline
• 02/21/05  Bottle District selects Clayco as construction manager

 

St. Louis Downtown Riverfront
 

A master plan is being developed to showcase the downtown St. Louis riverfront. The Great Rivers Greenway District had issued a request for qualifications in February with twelve different teams submitting their proposals by the March 14th deadlin. Each team represents a collaboration of five to six architectural, urban design or engineering firms. Once the Greenway District selects a proposal, public input will then be sought. The plan is expected to take about a year to complete with the development of the downtown riverfront expected to take place over the next 10 years.
 

• 10/11/05  City Wants Input On New Look For Downtown
• 10/10/05  Unveiling of plan for 'riverfront that rocks' is eagerly awaited
• 08/01/05  Money will fund riverfront development plan
• 08/01/05  Mayor Slay Announces Major Step Forward for Riverfront Development
• 05/03/05  HOK unit on downtown riverfront design team
• 05/02/05  Design Team Selected to Develop Master Plan for St. Louis Riverfront
• 03/23/05  Work begins on master plan for riverfront
• 03/21/05  Downtown Riverfront Development Plans Submitted
• 03/17/05  Master Plan for St. Louis Downtown Riverfront Attracts Nationwide Interest
• 03/16/05  Riverfront Plans Show Off Exciting Future For St. Louis
• 03/16/05  12 teams submit proposals for riverfront master plan
• 02/03/05  Request for Qualifications - St. Louis Riverfront Master Plan

 

St. Louis Riverfront Casinos

The President's Casino on Laclede's Landing along the St. Louis Riverfront was purchased in October 2004 by Fort Mitchell, Kentucky-based Columbia Sussex Corp for $57 million. They are now proposing a $150 million project to add residential, retail and more parking. St. Louis had also just signed a deal with Las Vegas-based Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. to build a $250 million casino, hotel and residential development on the Landing downtown. On the Illinois bank of the Mississippi river in East St. Louis, the Casino Queen is planning to invest about $150 million in updates and expansion.
 

• 11/02/05  Pinnacle plans pedestrian tunnel connecting downtown to casino
• 11/02/05  A new casino takes its downtown development plans underground
• 10/27/05  Buyer of casino may face litigation
• 10/25/05  Columbia Sussex bows out of President deal
• 10/13/05  Casino Queen will become Illinois' first "boat on moat"
• 09/07/05  Pinnacle starts work on downtown casino development
• 09/07/05  Pinnacle Purchases Additional Property in Downtown St. Louis
• 09/07/05  Pinnacle Breaks Ground on Downtown St. Louis Casino Resort
• 09/07/05  New casino plans more investment in St. Louis
• 09/06/05  Storm-tossed Pinnacle starts casino
• 08/29/05  Pinnacle boosts investment in St. Louis casino projects
• 06/14/05  President casino replacement project gets another okay
• 06/14/05  President Casino plan presented to city commission
• 06/14/05  Port Authority Allows Casino To Replace Admiral
• 05/31/05  Columbia Sussex offers more details about its proposal to buy President
• 05/24/05  Bill would allow Casino Queen to move off river
• 05/20/05  Admiral may move to settle dispute
• 04/18/05  President Casino's new owner steps up pressure in dispute
• 03/28/05  Casino Queen prepares to build larger casino
• 03/27/05  Casino projects squabble over parking lot
• 03/21/05  Pinnacle Entertainment completes downtown property purchase
• 02/16/05  Pinnacle strikes deal to buy more property
• 01/12/05  Pinnacle gets go ahead from Mo. Gaming Commission
• 01/12/05  Mo. Gaming Commission Approves Permits For New Downtown Casino
• 01/12/05  New downtown casino gets go-ahead

 

St. Louis Centre

When St. Louis Centre opened in 1985 at a cost of $95 million, it was the largest enclosed urban shopping center in the United States. Spanning the blocks between 6th and 7th, Locust and Washington, it remains one of the largest enclosed downtown shopping malls in the country. Barry Cohen bought the struggling mall in August 2004 for $5.4 million at a foreclosure sale. It is unclear what is planned for St. Louis Centre, although the owner has ideas for both retail and nonretail uses.
 

• 12/13/05  City offers credits to give life to St. Louis Centre
• 09/26/05  Downtown Now pulls funding for skybridge demolition
• 09/22/05  Plans for demolishing skybridge blow sky high
• 06/28/05  St. Louis Centre skybridge will be coming down - link expired
• 05/20/05  Downtown's future may hinge on St. Louis Centre - link expired
• 04/18/05  At St. Louis Centre, it's developer Barry Cohen vs. everybody else

 

Mass Transit, Highway Construction and Improvements

Construction on the $1.1 billion runway project at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport continues and looks to be finished in 2006-07. [ www.lambert-pmo.org ]

Full funding for a new $1.6 billion Mississippi River bridge is still pending. Planning began over a decade ago, and $300 million has already been committed by both Missouri and Illionis. If the new bridge is built as designed, it will be the worlds widest cable-stayed structure. [ www.newriverbridge.org ]

Another transit project about to move forward is the $29 million MultiModal Center. It is to be located on the site of the old Downtown Amtrak Station, just across from Savvis Center. With construction starting this spring, the center will serve not only Amtrak, but will be the hub for Greyhound bus service, local bus service and the St. Louis area's MetroLink light rail system.
 


• 11/23/05  Neighborhood group wins campaign for extra greenway route
• 11/08/05  Revised plan unveiled for bridge over Mississippi
• 11/02/05  Suspended bridge
• 10/14/05  Highway 40 project gets final OK
• 10/01/05  Task force makes little progress on bridge
• 09/04/05  Trail puts a ribbon on River Des Peres - link expired
• 08/19/05  Task force aims to speed up new bridge - link expired
• 08/18/05  Federal highway bill to bring Missouri $862 mln a year
• 08/16/05  Trolleys installed at History Museum, Delmar Loop
• 08/11/05  MODOT: Mississippi River bridge still three years off
• 08/03/05  Trolleys coming back to St. Louis
• 08/01/05  Making Connections in the River Ring
• 08/01/05  HNTB gets $2.5 million MetroLink expansion study
• 07/29/05  Planning for new MetroLink extensions advances - link expired
• 07/27/05  Metro Sets Sights On Finishing Mass Transit Expansion Project
• 07/27/05  Highway bill will include $240 million for new bridge
• 07/27/05  Final funding approved for Highway 40 project - link expired
• 07/25/05  Work is set to begin on riverfront trailhead - link expired
• 07/25/05  Cost of downtown bridge could kill project - link expired
• 07/08/05  Transportation leaders contemplate alternatives for new bridge
• 07/08/05  Largest road construction plan in MO history approved
• 07/06/05  Ambitious trailhead project gets boost from brownfield grant
• 06/30/05  Highway 40 project may get long-awaited money - link expired
• 06/13/05  To toll or not to toll: States face off on bridge project
• 06/06/05  City has grand dreams to bridge SLU campuses
• 04/13/05  Hampton Avenue moves up on Hwy. 40 priority list - link expired
• 04/13/05  Public gets its first look at Highway 40 plan - link expired
• 03/24/05  McKinley Bridge Project to Begin
• 03/24/05  Work set for McKinley Bridge, reopening expected by 2007 - link expired
• 03/10/05  U.S. House passes $284B federal transportation bill
• 03/11/05  Transportation secretary promotes Amtrak plan in St. Louis - link expired
• 11/01/05  MoDOT Begins Work to Replace 100 Year Old Chouteau Bridge
• 02/05/05  Delays on MetroLink extension aggravate neighbors - link expired
• 02/01/05  Toll plan could speed new Mississippi River Bridge - link expired
• 01/15/05  City earmarks millions for street improvements - link expired

 

St. Louis Cardinals Baseball Stadium

The $360 million ballpark project is on schedule to open for games during the 2006 season with Ballpark Village to open by 2007 at a cost of $450 million or more. Baltimore-based Cordish Company was chosen to build the mixed-use Ballpark Village. The development is to feature condominiums with views into the new ballpark, shops, restaurants, nightclubs and offices clustered on 8 acres adjacent to the stadium. For more information visit: http://www.ballparkconstruction.com/
 

• 11/05/05  Plans Finalized For Busch Stadium Demolition
• 11/04/05  Busch Stadium demolition starts Monday, Nov. 7 at 3 p.m.
• 11/03/05  Crews start Busch Stadium teardown next week
• 10/20/05  Busch Stadium readies for wrecking ball
• 07/25/05  The sea of red is rising at the Cardinals' new nest - link expired
• 06/02/05  Cardinals Partner with The Cordish Company on Ballpark Village
• 06/02/05  Cardinals choose Baltimore developer for Ballpark Village
• 06/02/05  Developer will create entertainment district around new stadium - link expired
• 06/02/05  Cardinals team up with developer for Ballpark Village - link expired
• 03/16/05  Construction of new Busch Stadium draws its own fans - link expired
• 02/21/05  Local developers vie for piece of Ballpark Village