The Emergence of West Downtown St. Louis (photos)

arch city · PostFeb 06, 2005#12005-02-06T20:23+00:00

After recent announcements about the Adler Frame, Majestic Stove, and Motor Parts projects, I dug up some pictures taken from the Sporting News Building when construction was about to begin. The pics give perspectives from the SNB. The pics were plucked from the SNB's website.

Notice the Alder Frame (bottom, right) and the Motor Parts building across the vacant lot to the west.

To the north towards GPX Electronics

Adler Frame (bottom, left)

To the north towards Murphy Park

To the north towards City Museum

To the south towards St. Louis Union Station

To the west towards Midtown

Towards the southwest

sshoe · PostFeb 06, 2005#22005-02-06T21:27+00:00

I think this area could be really cool. The neighborhood's anchor could and should be the Tap Room and there are a lot of empty lots where new construction could occur. I do wonder what the brownfield situation is on some of these lots. That could pose a possible problem down the road.

MattnSTL · PostFeb 06, 2005#32005-02-06T22:41+00:00

This area could be really cool with the renovations planned and underway on the existing buildings, and plenty of room for (hopefully very nice) infill. I can't wait to see what the area looks like in five years. It should be totally different from what it looks and feels like now.

xing · PostFeb 07, 2005#42005-02-07T00:07+00:00

Yeah I like it. I can see new lofts and apartments filling in those empty lots. Wow, seems like it has lots of potential.

jivecitystl · PostFeb 07, 2005#52005-02-07T03:50+00:00

There need to be some new highrises built on those vacant lots-- some condos, some apartments, all with street level retail.

arch city · PostFeb 08, 2005#62005-02-08T19:05+00:00

I'm hoping for lots of new high quality residential with offices thrown in the mix; and the extension of the Washington Avenue streetscape. With SJI Companies, an advertising and promotions firm already in the district, it should help lure other corporate businesses as the area spiffs up.

So far in the West Loft District

Majestic Stove (120 Lofts)

2020 Washington (Sporting News) (103 Lofts)

Motor Parts (80 Lofts)

Westgate Lofts (48 Lofts)

Adler Frame (32 Lofts)

Are there any others?

debaliviere · PostFeb 08, 2005#72005-02-08T19:46+00:00

In the Post-Dispatch article from around a month or so ago, it mentioned that the building at 2201 Locust is slated to become the Packard Lofts - it's owned by McGowan/Walsh.

urbanstlouis · PostFeb 08, 2005#82005-02-08T20:46+00:00

DeBaliviere wrote:the building at 2201 Locust is slated to become the Packard Lofts - it's owned by McGowan/Walsh.

The Downtown St. Louis Housing Report shows 2201 Locust proposed for 45 sale units.

debaliviere · PostFeb 08, 2005#92005-02-08T21:45+00:00

^

Nice! This project seems to be flying under the radar screen - there hasn't been a press release or news article that I can remember.

Here's a pic - I hope they can blast the white paint off the brick:

archmadness · PostFeb 09, 2005#102005-02-09T01:52+00:00

I'm really impressed by this thread. Its really nice to see the activity starting to spill west out of downtown.

As for the tudor building...I have always thought if anything on Washington should be razed, this is it. This building is completely out of place and even with a full renovation I still don't think it would look good. Its such a huge site and would be perfect for some desperately needed new construction that would compliment the historic structures around it. Plus, the tudor bldg doesn't have the capacity for the density that is needed in this area.

debaliviere · PostFeb 09, 2005#112005-02-09T13:38+00:00

I don't really have a problem with it - it will add a HUGE amount of much-needed retail activity to the area, and there are plenty of vacant lots in the neighborhood that are prime redevelopment spots. I think the building will be pretty cool after it's been rehabbed. I have a much bigger problem with the car wash across the street from it - now there is a structure that doesn't fit in.

curiousgeorge · PostMar 20, 2005#122005-03-20T02:47+00:00

Arch City wrote:I'm hoping for lots of new high quality residential with offices thrown in the mix; and the extension of the Washington Avenue streetscape. With SJI Companies, an advertising and promotions firm already in the district, it should help lure other corporate businesses as the area spiffs up.

So far in the West Loft District

Majestic Stove (120 Lofts)

2020 Washington (Sporting News) (103 Lofts)

Motor Parts (80 Lofts)

Westgate Lofts (48 Lofts)

Adler Frame (32 Lofts)

Are there any others?

...I heard the Gooth Lighting Building (NW corner of Washington and Jeffereson) was sold to some developers. Anyone know who? Plans? It would have killer views of downtown if developed for residential.

jivecitystl · PostMar 20, 2005#132005-03-20T03:03+00:00

The Guth Lighting building is now owned by the McGowan Brothers, who intend to renovate it for loft aparments and condos.

ynot · PostMar 24, 2005#142005-03-24T00:03+00:00

there's a building directly north of the tap room that appears to be residential lofts. does anyone know anything about it?

southcitygent · PostMar 24, 2005#152005-03-24T13:18+00:00

I attended an open house in one of those buildings years ago. I think it was before the Tap Room was open (10 or more years). It must have been one of the first true loft buildings downtown. Really liked it at the time but am sure it is now pretty dated looking.

suburban lou · PostMay 12, 2005#162005-05-12T01:32+00:00

Looks Like McGowan/Walsh is preparing to get there buildings on the national register.

Packard Lofts

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

Motor Parts Building.

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

urbanstlouis · PostFeb 17, 2006#172006-02-17T18:28+00:00

The St. Louis Business Journal reported in today's paper that Developers has $150 million in planned projects for the area now being called "Downtown West" (Market Street to Delmar Boulevard, 18th Street to Jefferson Avenue).

honestbusinesman · PostFeb 17, 2006#182006-02-17T19:34+00:00

urbanstlouis wrote:The St. Louis Business Journal reported in today's paper that Developers has $150 million in planned projects for the area now being called "Downtown West" (Market Street to Delmar Boulevard, 18th Street to Jefferson Avenue).

Downtown West is actually a neighborhood reconized by the city of St. Louis just like Soulard or the Central West End. It's not just some cute name someone came up with.

From http://stlouis.missouri.org/downtown/ :

The Downtown West neighborhood is defined by Cole street to the North, and Chouteau to the South. The Eastern edge is defined by Tucker Boulevard, and the Western edge by Jefferson Boulevard.

arch city · PostFeb 17, 2006#192006-02-17T19:40+00:00

So is the $150-million in planned projects new or is it a combination of projects under construction and planned?

About 4 or 5 years ago there was a plan on the table to infill that area with residential mid-rises. I wonder if it is the updated version of the previous proposal?

urbanstlouis · PostFeb 17, 2006#202006-02-17T19:43+00:00

Arch City wrote:So is the $150-million in planned projects new or is it a combination of projects under construction and planned?

I am not sure, but I believe it is planned and under construction since they mentioned everything happening now as well as gave mention to what Wood and Rothchild have planned for the <A HREF="http://www.urbanstl.com/viewtopic.php?t=2038">Tudor Building</A> at 1901 Washington Avenue and the <A HREF="http://www.urbanstl.com/viewtopic.php?t=2034">Buell Building</A> at 1916 Washington Avenue. The title also read as, "Developers plan $150 million in projects for western regions of downtown".

arch city · PostFeb 17, 2006#212006-02-17T19:48+00:00

Okay, thanks. Sounds all good.

urbanstlouis · PostFeb 20, 2006#222006-02-20T06:47+00:00

IN DEPTH: DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENTS

From the February 17, 2006 print edition

<A HREF="http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/ ... Developers plan $150 million in projects for western regions of downtown</A>

Heather Cole

Robert Wood Realty Inc. and Rothschild Development are planning an $8 million retail/residential conversion of the 50,000-square-foot Buell Building, 1916 Washington Ave., starting in 2008.

The Buell, which was purchased by the developers for $950,000 in September, is among the latest of the $42 million worth of projects the two developers are teaming up on west of 18th Street downtown. With developers like Rothschild and Wood and McGowan|Walsh Historic Renovators at work, loft, retail and commercial redevelopment is spreading on the outer western limits of downtown, which is being called downtown west and is between Market Street to the south, Delmar to the north, 18th Street to the east, and Jefferson to the west.

Around $150 million worth of projects are under construction or planned for downtown west, an area that is a long way from the days when Schlafly's Tap Room on Locust and 21st Street was the sole outpost of development.

<A HREF="http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/ ... ocus9.html">>>> read more</A>

what4 · PostApr 05, 2006#232006-04-05T18:44+00:00

does anyone know if a loft project is occuring in the large building west of the Packard lofts building (but on the same block of locust), but before Westgate? the lights have been on at night inside of it for the past week or so.

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georgebush_92 · PostApr 07, 2006#242006-04-07T17:14+00:00

It's 2223 Locust and I think I saw somewhere that it was listed as the future Locust Lofts, but I could be wrong. I work at NSI across the street and they have had the SOLD sign on it for a while. Most of the work I have seen has been power washing, tuckpointing and just general cleaning of the outside. Today there were several contractor looking trucks outside when I got to work and the lights were on and several windows opened up.

suburban lou · PostApr 13, 2006#252006-04-13T03:57+00:00

By Martin Van Der Werf

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

04/13/2006

He (Bob Wood) and frequent partner Pete Rothschild continue to make bets on the northwest part of downtown. Rothschild says they have acquired two more buildings: the former Jackrabbit Candy Co. building at 20th Street and Martin Luther King Drive, and a two-story building at 1911 Locust Street. Both will become housing.

The partners also are asking for tax-increment financing to build a combination of housing, retail, and "live/work spaces" at 1818 Washington Avenue and at the so-called Tudor Building between 19th and 20th streets on Washington.

They will do the same to the Buell building, across the street from the Tudor, once the leases of two tenants -- Hullabaloo, a vintage clothing store, and the Everest Cafe -- expire.

"Live/work spaces" are units with high ceilings and garage doors, accessible only from an alley. Wood feels they would make good art studios, or they could house startup companies.