Jump to content

St. Louis project rundown


Brickcity

Recommended Posts


  • Replies 41
  • Created
  • Last Reply
  • 2 weeks later...

Wow!

I am very confused now. My dad was in St. Louis this week, a city which he has always loved. However, he said that downtown was like a ghost town... hardly any people there... several stores and supermarkets were closed down. He went to the convention center (I guess next to it, they had some sort of mall or something, with a huge food court), and out of about 30 "eateries" only 2 were still open. He said he talked to a guy who worked there and the guy said that St. Louis was dying... he said that rental prices had gone up to high, and people were leaving downtown in droves... so I am really shocked to see all this... Can anyone explain whats going on to me?????

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, downtown has a long way to go before it can truly be considered vibrant again, but your dad saw an extreme failure -- St. Louis Centre is a dead mall in the heart of downtown. A bad idea from the very beginning.

But it is not accurate to say that "people are leaving downtown in droves." In fact, quite the opposite is true. Downtown's residential population is growing steadily, with the renovation of building after building into lofts and condos. Downtown was never really a very popular place to live until about 8 years ago. Now the trend is really picking up speed. Virtually every vacant building is under some form of renovation or has plans in the works. Downtown is much better today than it was several years ago. We just need more retail. But I have a feeling your dad only saw one little part of downtown, not the areas that are lively and stable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to agree...your dad probably saw the centre which is a civic disaster...always was, always will be. Almost every vacant downtown building is either under construction or spoken for...things are happening at a rapid pace. Things are so much better today then they were just a decade ago. Ten years from now I don't think we will recognize St. Louis...it really is going to be great again.

I also have to say, the areas near downtown...aka the central west end, clayton, feel very big city. Those areas are thriving and continue to grow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

New downtown condos are all about the river

By Charlene Prost

Of the Post-Dispatch

05/31/2005

Artist's rendering

build01big.jpg

Link

Downtown St. Louis is about to get something it never has had before: a condominium building overlooking the Mississippi River.

What's coming also will be the first new vertical residential building constructed in downtown since Mansion House opened in 1966.

Rodgers Group LLC in Clayton intends to spend about $25 million to build the 10-level Port St. Louis. Developer Mark Rodgers said it will have 49 high-end condos on seven floors, atop three levels of parking.

All the units will have balconies designed to take advantage of the river views. The glass and brick building also will have a rooftop deck with a swimming pool, entertainment area and other amenities.

Because the land slopes toward the river, the building will be seven stories on the west side, 10 stories on the east side. The 120 parking spaces, two for each condo and then some, will be tucked into the slope.

Designing a building on top of sloping land was just part of the challenge facing the developer and Shaughnessy Fickel and Scott Architects Inc. of Kansas City.

The building will rise just west of a working railroad trestle that shares the block. The site also is in a flood plain.

The solution for both problems: Put the condos above the parking.

"The first residential floor will be slightly above the trestle," Rodgers said. The trestle won't block views, he said, but "you will see the top of trains go by. "

The building also will have sound-resistant windows to block noise from outside. And it's being specially designed to withstand floods, earthquakes, vibration from trains and anything else that comes its way.

"We will go to bedrock with our piers," Rodgers said. "Everybody's best guess is 20 feet down ... so structurally, it will be a very sound building."

If flood waters do rise, the condos should be high and dry. "We know some parking will at times be flooded," Rodgers said, "but we're making sure the residential is above the flood plain."

He and his twin, John Rodgers, own the development firm that is planning its first project downtown. They got involved after Jo Ann Keeney, a broker and owner at Independent Brokers Network LLC, called to suggest that they take a look at the undeveloped block in Laclede's Landing.

Keeney, a broker for Landing properties for years, said she was impressed with the high quality of the Rodgers' Shaw Park Villas condo project in Clayton. She said she wanted to see something similar in the Landing, now that the market for it finally is there.

Mark Rodgers said he and his brother didn't take long to go for it once they saw the vacant block. They own part of the land and have contracts to buy the rest.

"The river is St. Louis' best asset. It has the best views," he said. "We couldn't believe there wasn't something on that land."

Rodgers said construction should start later this year or in early 2006, as soon as about half the condos are reserved. Construction will take about two years.

As of this week, Rodgers said, 14 would-be buyers - from in town and out of town - have signed on.

Among them is Mary Jean Russell, development director for the Wings of Hope organization. She said she "can't wait" to move to Port St. Louis from a duplex she owns in University City, now that her daughter has grown up and moved away.

Russell, 50, said she looked at some renovated residential buildings downtown, but none was a good match. Then she heard about Port St. Louis, checked out the design and found what she was looking for.

"I'll have the history of St. Louis, the beauty of the river, the excitement of the riverfront, all right there," she said. "I wanted to find a place overlooking something beautiful. My unit will overlook the Eads Bridge, the (Gateway) Arch ... and I'll even be able to see the bend in the Mississippi to the north from my wrap-around balcony."

Rodgers Group LLC

Address: 7401 Maryland Avenue, Clayton

Founded: 1988 by twins Mark and John Rodgers

Specialty: Builds and renovates houses, mainly in west St. Louis County, Clayton and University City. It currently is building Shaw Park Villas, a 12-unit luxury condominium project at 50 and 60 Brighton Way in Clayton, and planning Port St. Louis, a condominium project on Laclede's Landing in St. Louis.

Port St. Louis

Cost: About $25 million.

Details: 49 condominiums on seven floors above three levels of parking.

Condo prices: About $628,000 to $698,000 for units with 1,800 to 2,000 square feet, respectively.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

New downtown lofts stay 'true'

By Tavia Evans

Of the Post-Dispatch

05/31/2005

loft01big.jpg

Building at 1635 Washington Ave.

Developer Andy Hillin says "true loft spaces" - spacious floor plans, high ceilings and open ductwork - are in the works for his newest property, 1635 Washington Avenue.

Hillin bought the building Tuesday from developer David Jump, who owns a handful of properties along the street. Hillin declined to say how much he paid.

At 1635 Washington, 96 residential condominiums are planned; units will range from 1,000 to 1,500 square feet. Upgrades will offer buyers the option of creating an office or an extra bedroom from parts of a larger living space.

"It's a slightly different approach, as the cost of buildings and acquisitions goes up," said Vince Ebersoldt, project architect for Rosemann & Associates, which will design the units.

"It allows the buyer to really personalize it, so if people want a true loft or want to have several bedrooms, they can have it," he said. "Developers are saying, 'Let's leave the upgrades up to the owner and let them buy it,' to keep base costs down."

Paric Construction will build the units. U.S. Bank will provide financing for the $25 million development, including a $14.5 million construction loan and a bridge loan until the project is approved for state historic tax credits. Hillin said he has applied for $4.2 million in state historic tax credits as well as tax increment financing from the city.

Built in 1918, the building once housed Central Shoe Co.

Units will list from $150,000 for one bedroom to $225,000 for larger, corner condos. Most units will include balconies; a rooftop pool and clubhouse will be added. The building also will have 99 parking spaces in the basement, ground floor and mezzanine levels.

"This new building complements other projects (Hillin is) doing on the street, and he's been on the forefront of getting stuff done on Washington Avenue," said Walker Gaffney, assistant vice president at U.S. Bank Community Development Corp.

Hillin partnered with developer John Carroll and McGowan Brothers Development to renovate the Rudman Building, 1228 Washington. He also completed the Garment Row Lofts, 1312 Washington, and is working on the Window Lofts, 1601 Washington.

Farther west beyond the loft district, Hillin is partnering with McGowan & Walsh LLC to turn the former Guth Lighting complex of five buildings into 60 rental apartments.

Apartments will vary from 800 to 1,200 square feet. Inside, a full-size gym is planned.

Hillin's firm, Jacob Development, and McGowan & Walsh co-own the property. For now, the building is being called the George E. Walsh Building, named for the father of Nat Walsh, a partner in the firm.

Financing for the renovation, projected at $20 million, has yet to be worked out, Hillin said.

The apartments will be aimed toward young professionals and students, because of the proximity to St. Louis University.

"We're pushing the area with one of the first projects on the other side of Jefferson (Avenue), and it lays out perfect for rental units," he said. "It's farther west and not in the core of loft development. I think we can create a community for the old Guth buildings."

Reporter Tavia Evans

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 314-340-8159

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

More condos will nest on Washington Avenue

By Charlene Prost

Of the Post-Dispatch

06/14/2005

edwards15big.jpg

Joe Edwards, the owner of Blueberry Hill.

What's coming next to Washington Avenue is more condos - and likely a bowling alley operated by developer Joe Edwards.

The bowling alley, similar to Edwards' Pin-Up Bowl in the Delmar Loop, would be on the ground floor of an empty, seven-story building at 1123 Washington Avenue. Developer Patrick Stanley plans to renovate the structure with 103 condos and call it the Lucas Lofts.

As for the bowling alley, Edwards said: "I'm very interested, and we are negotiating. I think it is an exciting time on Washington Avenue." He has been a driving force behind development of the Loop area along Delmar Boulevard in University City and St. Louis.

"It would be a boutique bowling alley, a small, one-of-a-kind place," he said. "It would be somewhat like the Pin-Up Bowl but with a different theme and a different look. There would be food there and excellent martinis."

Edwards said the bowling alley on Washington would be in addition to another he plans to open in the Bottle District, planned just north of the Edward Jones Dome.

Stanley, owner of Chastan Properties LLC, intends to start construction next month on one of the last large, undeveloped buildings left on Washington downtown. He expects the $23 million Lucas Lofts to be finished in about a year, with the condos opening next May and the bowling alley after that.

The condos will range from $114,900 for a 770-square-foot unit to $490,000 for a two-level unit with 2,600 square feet. All will have ceiling heights of 12 to 15 feet and other amenities designed by Rosemann & Associates to preserve some of the building's original character.

Designed by Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, it was built in 1896. The Levis-Zukowski Mercantile Co. made hats there in the early years.

Stanley said the most recent tenant was a greeting card company that made and distributed cards there until about six years ago. Stanley bought the building for $4.8 million earlier this year.

"It's a beautiful, beautiful building, and the first day I saw it I knew it was right for this," he said. "It has tons of windows, wood-beam ceilings that we will sandblast and an old stairwell that we will retrofit to get from one floor to another in the two-level condos."

Stanley also plans a martini and cigar bar, called the W.A. (for Washington Avenue) Sky Bar, on the top floor; a rooftop swimming pool and 106 parking spaces in the basement and part of the ground-floor level, next to the bowling alley.

To help soundproof the condos, he said, new concrete floors will be poured on all the residential levels. Stanley said he also has an acoustical engineer at work on a plan "to make sure the sound from the bowling alley goes out the back and side of the building, and not up."

Stanley said Edwards got involved "after I called him, out of the blue," and proposed the idea of a bowling alley for downtown.

National City Bank is financing the Lucas Lofts project; Stanley also is using state historic and brownfield tax credits.

So far, he has done two other smaller projects since he formed his company more than four years ago. He renovated a five-story, former moving company building in the Benton Park neighborhood for 13 condos, all now sold. More recently, he renovated a four-story building at 1521 Washington Avenue with the Europe nightclub on the first floor and three custom lofts scheduled to be built on the upper floors.

At Lucas Lofts, he said, half the condos are already sold.

"Primarily, we're selling to young professionals, 22 to 35 years old. We have a bunch of 22- to 23-year-olds," he said, "plus 55- to 65-year-olds, empty-nesters."

Barbara Geisman, deputy mayor for development, said city officials are happy to see large vacant buildings along Washington filling up. She also welcomes the bowling alley as another attraction for downtown.

"Joe (Edwards) seems to be very excited about it," she said, "and so are we."

Reporter Charlene Prost

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 314-340-8140

The Building.

1115-overall2.jpg

P1010106-vi.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

I posted this in the Missouri forum as well.

Washington ave streetscape Phase II has started

WashingtonAve_0009.jpg

View of Phase II sidewalk construction and street improvements along Washington Avenue from Tucker east toward 7th Street.

Historic Washington Avenue Garment District Reborn As Saint Louis Loft District

by Betty Magrath, SLFP.com

photos by Bob Moore, SLFP.com

ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), May 7, 2004 - At the turn of the twentieth century, Washington Avenue was once a prosperous canyon of architecturally beautiful brick buildings housing shoe, clothes and fashion manufacturers.

The sidewalks were alive with people window shopping and buying in the famous garment district. The corridor of warehouses also boasted a burgeoning printing industry.

Over the years, numerous studies focused on Washington Avenue with a vision of bringing it back to life with a vital neighborhood of residential lofts, galleries, nightclubs and other attractions.

At the turn of the twenty-first century, plans were set in motion again for improvements to enhance Washington Avenue's appearance. The Washington Avenue Streetscape Project became one of the first phases of the Downtown Now! Development Action Plan to be implemented. Funded was provided by $4 million from the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, and $13 million from the Missouri Dept. of Transportation enhancement program.

The design plan was created by a consultant design team led by Wallace Robert & Todd, a Philadelphia-based planning and design firm, working with five St. Louis companies including Kiku Obata & Company and David Mason and Associates Inc. In addition to the new lights, the design plan included a plaza, trees, and widened sidewalks along Washington Avenue from Tucker Blvd. to 18th Street and the connecting side streets to Lucas and St. Charles streets.

Otis Williams, deputy director of special projects for St. Louis Development Corporation, stated that Washington Avenue will remain open during Phase II construction. "Unlike Phase I, we are ensuring that at least one lane in each direction will remain open on Washington Avenue from Tucker Boulevard east to 7th Street for access to the businesses."

Williams, who was actively involved with phase one, stated that they were very pleased with the results. "There's a lot going on." The first installment in streetscape improvements along Washington Avenue, from Tucker Boulevard west to 18th Street was completed June 2003.

Tom Reeves, executive director of Downtown Now!, told Saint Louis Front Page that construction on Phase II is expected to be completed by the end of 2004. "The second phase began one month ago with the excavation of the sidewalks. Unlike the sidewalks along Washington Avenue west of Tucker, the sidewalks east of Tucker will not be widened because the street is so busy."

"We learned a lot of lessons from the first phase," stated Reeves. "Repairs will be made to vaults extending from the buildings under the street. However, we do not anticipate running into the same problems we encountered with the vaults west of Tucker. Those vaults needed extensive reinforcement."

The Washington Avenue streetscape will feature landscaping through planting of trees were possible, planters with flowers and some ornate lighting. Reeves stated that the street would be repaired but would not feature the same ornate brick and paving designs on Washington west of Tucker.

"This construction should be easier because there are not as many building owners that will be impacted with repairs to the street. Also the vaults are in better shape," stated Reeves. He noted that all utilites will be addressed including water, sewer and electrical.

Additional projects under Downtown Now! include the revitalization of the area around the Old Post Office and along Fourth Street. "Since 1999, over $2 billion in public and private money has been invested in this area of downtown. Things are being accomplished and the momentum is impressive," stated Reeves.

WashingtonAve_00021.jpg

View of the historic Washington Avenue, former garment and fashion district, from 18th Street looking east toward America's Center at 7th Street. Washington Avenue has become a vital neighborhood with residential lofts, galleries, nightclubs and other attractions.

WashingtonAve_0019.jpg

View of Phase II sidewalk construction and street improvements along Washington Avenue from Tucker east toward 7th Street and the Convention Center Plaza.

Washington Avenue rocks! I had some friends visiting from NY the other weekend, and they were amazed at the quality and detail provided in the historic buildings in downtown St. Louis. As long as the developments are true to this historic context and we can keep these projects out of the greedy hands of the cheesy developers and the undesirable design/build general contractors of this city we will be in good shape.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Wow guys, I'm impressed. I had no idea that this many projects were in the works. Your right, in a few years St. Louis will look nothing like the city from my childhood (that was in the '80's). My parents and I went to a Cardinals game this summer, and were just blown away with how much safer and cleaner the downtown area looked. It looked like a completely different city. Now everyone has to hear me go on and on about my sentimental home. I'll start keeping an eye on this thread more often, so the pride can just keep flowing. Keep it going St. Louis!!!

RIP old Busch, held lots of memories for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 1 year later...

According to the St. Louis Business Journal, the city has about a dozen high-rises in the works, several involving high-rise luxury condos.

Residential high-rises newly completed, under construction or planned:

Downtown/Laclede's Landing

  • Ballpark Village, a $650 million mixed-use development proposed for north of Busch Stadium that will include retail space and up to 1,200 residential units.

  • The Roberts Tower, a $70 million, 24-story condo tower with about 69 units planned for the corner of Locust and Eighth.

  • SkyHouse, a $67 million, 22-story condo tower with 166 units and retail space at 14th Street and Washington Ave.

  • Park Pacific, which is to include a new $70 million mixed-use development next to the former Union Pacific building at 13th and Olive streets (179 units). The existing building will undergo an $85 million rehabilitation.

  • Port St. Louis, a $25 million, 10-story condo structure with 49 units being developed as part of Lumiere Place, a $475 million casino and convention center on Laclede's Landing.

  • A $4.5 million three-story addition to an existing three-story building planned for First Street near Morgan Street (18 units).

    Central West End

    • Renaissance on Euclid, a $115 million, 30-story residential building planned for the corner of Euclid and Pine Blvd.

    • Lindell Condominiums, a $93 million, 28-story tower with 200 units and retail space proposed for 4643 Lindell Blvd.

    • Park East Tower, a $50 million, 26-story high-rise with 89 residences at Laclede and Euclid.

    • Park East Lofts, a $25 million, six-story building with 52 units being built at 9 N. Euclid Ave.

    • 4545, a $28 million, 10-story, 34-unit development under construction at 4545 Lindell Blvd., between Euclid and Taylor Avenues.

    Great to see so much going on in St. Louis. Details in the article.

    St. Louis Business Journal: Reaching new heights

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.