Centennial Malt House renovation - 2017 Chouteau Avenue

suburban lou · PostAug 03, 2005#12005-08-03T19:30+00:00

Restauranteur to pour more than $3 million into brewery building

Jim Merkel

Of the Suburban Journals

South Side Journal

Lafayette Square neighborhood restauranteur Paul Hamilton is spending in excess of $3 million to renovate the old Centennial Malt House building at 2017 Chouteau Ave.

The building will house retail shops, offices, a banquet facility and restaurant when construction is completed.

As part of the project, Hamilton is seeking state and federal tax credits, which will pay some of the costs of the project.

<A HREF=http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/neighb ... ument>Read More</a>

<a HREF=http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/pla ... Centennial Malt House</a>

trent · PostAug 03, 2005#22005-08-03T20:57+00:00

I always liked that building, so I'm glad somebody is going to pay some attention to it. I would love to see the Lafayette Square area continue to expand.

framer · PostAug 04, 2005#32005-08-04T05:03+00:00

Looks like another great project. It looks like Chouteau's day has arrived. There's quite a few projects popping up around there now. I think Chouteau could be ready for some new commercial construction. There's lots of available land. Let's hope they do it right.

Expat · PostAug 04, 2005#42005-08-04T12:02+00:00

Framer, good point, Choteau has plenty of land. Would be a chance to do some interesting new construction.

matt · PostAug 04, 2005#52005-08-04T16:03+00:00

Shades and More is a best kept secret. You wouldn't know they even exist except for one small sign. It's great that they are staying and will have a greater retail presence. I purchased my wooden blinds for about half the price of places like Lowes.

trent · PostAug 04, 2005#62005-08-04T17:06+00:00

I'd like to see some interesting mid-rise residential buildings pop up. More condominium type places instead of apts. Something cool like Little Italy in Chicago.

matt · PostAug 15, 2005#72005-08-15T16:21+00:00

This past weekend I was suprised to notice that the building is already under heavy construction - looked to be nearly gutted and ready for rebuilding the exterior walls. I'm guessing that they will rebuild and reinforce the interior floors and walls.

urbanstlouis · PostAug 15, 2005#82005-08-15T18:36+00:00

The Centennial Malt House was once an integral building in the old Chouteau Avenue brewery complex of German-born brewer Joseph Maximilian Schnaider.

"Built in 1876 from a design by prominent brewery architect and engineer Fred W. Wolf and local architect Louis Kledus, the brick malt house building exemplifies the German Rundbogenstil (round arch) style," said a news release by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

It is the only surviving building from the Chouteau Avenue brewery complex. In 1885, it was considered one of the most complete breweries in St. Louis.

After reading the article, I can't help but think what the area would be like if all of these building were still intact today. My great-great-grandfather owned and operated the Pacific Malt House (est. 1872) near Singleton and 14th Street, which is where Ameren is now located.

debaliviere · PostAug 15, 2005#92005-08-15T19:13+00:00

^

Man, those old pictures always get me down! We've lost so much.

urbanstlouis · PostAug 19, 2005#102005-08-19T02:10+00:00

The Centennial Malt House has been successfully nominated for the National Register of Historic Places. According to the St. Louis Business Journal, the nomination will now be submitted for approval by the keeper of the National Register in Washington.

<A HREF="http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stor ... ily14.html">>>> read more</A>

--

Here is some more information dated July 25, 2005 from the City of St. Louis Preservation Board regarding the nomination to the National Register for the Centennial Malt House. It is a five page PDF document that contains photos and background of the building being nominated...

http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/pla ... outeau.pdf

suburban lou · PostOct 07, 2005#112005-10-07T04:23+00:00

Couple is brewing new life into beer factory

By Tavia Evans

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

10/06/2005

Wendy Hamilton thinks it was the arched entryways in the basement that caught her eye first, wide enough for the horse-drawn wagons that might have passed through the building in the late 19th century. Today, she thinks the space would be perfect for a lower-level wine shop.

Her husband, Paul Hamilton, can envision the views of the Arch and downtown St. Louis' skyline from the future rooftop terrace of a new restaurant - Vingt Dix Sept - the building's address in French.

At the moment, the building at 2017 Chouteau Avenue, bears little resemblance to their visions.

Built in 1876 and formerly home to the Centennial Malt House, it was an annex of the Joseph Schnaider Chouteau Avenue Brewery that lined the block of Chouteau and Mississippi avenues in the 1870s.

The Hamiltons are turning the two-story building into a banquet hall with a rooftop restaurant. Some office and retail space also might go into the 35,000-square-foot building, which they expect to have ready by April.

Read More

brickandmortar · PostOct 07, 2005#122005-10-07T12:54+00:00

"The former owner thought we were crazy; he said we should tear it down," Wendy Hamilton said.

We need more crazy people. I'm glad to see Chouteau getting some attention, along with N. Grand I'd say it's one of the more neglected stretches in St. Louis.

marmar · PostOct 07, 2005#132005-10-07T17:13+00:00

I agree 1000%, brickandmortar.

trent · PostOct 07, 2005#142005-10-07T18:04+00:00

I read that article in the paper this morning. It's hard to believe that these people are that ambitious. I mean really, looking back over the pdf that was posted above, it's really amazing at how crappy that building was allowed to become. In the article some of the interior details are talked about, and I can't wait to see the finished product.

I think the rooftop restaurant is a good idea.

smsplanstu · PostOct 08, 2005#152005-10-08T05:24+00:00

Crazy people?

Good! We need people full of courage, vision, and balls! I mean fearless human natural instinct drive.

The rehab of North St. Louis homes that are missing roofs, walls, and levels should be proof that developers or rehab people are insane and full of balls

I'm rooting for them!

matt · PostMar 22, 2006#162006-03-22T21:31+00:00

Great updates on this project in the current issue of the neighborhood newspaper, "the Marquis." Not available online. Opening of the banquet hall is April 29. The descriptions of some of the other public spaces sounds incredible.

PostMar 27, 2006#172006-03-27T17:55+00:00

Here's some information from the Marquis newspaper about the project.

At 35,000 square feet, the building contains 14-foot vaulted ceilings in the basement. It will have the same architectural feel as Eleven Eleven. The banquet space will mirror the gold and red decor of Eleven Eleven while the third floor will have a more European bistro feel with dark woods.

The second floor banquet facility will be named Moulin. The third floor will house Vin de Set, a rooftop bistro and bar. It will have two dining areas plus an indoor bar that features 20-foot high ceilings with arched windows. There is also a seasonal rooftop bar with views of the St. Louis skyline.

The first floor will include a hair salon, a law office and the second restaurant venture by Bailey's Chocolate Bar owner, David Bailey. The remaining space on the first floor will be office space.

The first phase will be completed by April 29.

doug · PostMar 27, 2006#182006-03-27T19:19+00:00

HOLY DARN TOOTIN its a good time to live in the CITY!

I am afraid I may not be able to have a job as an urban planner when I graduate. I would welcome that day with open arms.

shadrach · PostMar 29, 2006#192006-03-29T18:59+00:00

I used to work at Ralston-Purina. The view from the 13th floor looking north is phenomenal. Probably the best of downtown.

Chouteau should have mid-hise residential and office all the way from Tucker to 18th. No offense to the Downtwon Auto Detail, BP and the various tractor-trailer lots but that property has better potential.

matt · PostMar 29, 2006#202006-03-29T20:47+00:00

Good point. In theory, if the demand for city living, working and playing keeps on the upward trend, then land prices will rise and the vacant and underutilized parcels will be developed.

It's the next hump to get over if we want to see density (high rises) and this is, land is valued so highly that the only sense to make a development work financially is to build up.

It would seem to me that for this goal to be reached, the city and the region would need to start seeing some real growth in population (well above 3 percent). The city itself may be able to have growth by attracting residents from the surrounding areas.

I don't know what the numbers are but the housing stock in the inner-ring burbs is aged to the point that medium to major renovations are becoming necessary. Much of the housing stock simply isn't designed or built to retain or grow in economic value more than 20 years. This "product" may not be positioned to compete well against the product the city offers and people may begin to move back into the city in much greater numbers.

debaliviere · PostMay 12, 2006#212006-05-12T14:19+00:00

Article from today's P-D on this project and a few others. I have some pics that I will post this weekend.

Article

beer city · PostDec 13, 2013#222013-12-13T17:54+00:00

New beer bar going into the basement - this building has turned into a real gem with a good mix use of places with a range of price points -

http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/d ... 1e7bf.html