Pointe 400 (aka Pet Building) - 400 S. Fourth Street

urbanstlouis · PostNov 19, 2004#12004-11-19T19:58+00:00

The former Pet Building has been officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. With that in place, Balke Brown Associates can take advantage of state historic tax credits to help finance the $36 million project. Redevelopment is expected to start January 2005, and should yield around 100 condos at an average cost of $300,000 when completed.

UPDATE: 03/10/05

It was recently reported in a column by Martin Van Der Werf of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Balke Brown Associates plans to convert the former Pet Building into 118 apartments.

archmadness · PostDec 09, 2004#22004-12-09T22:48+00:00

Anybody know of a website or when they plan on pre-sales? I'd really like to see some floor plans on this building. I think some of the units will have nice balconies

arch city · PostJan 13, 2005#32005-01-13T21:08+00:00

Busy day!

State issues $752K in tax credits to redevelop Pet Building

St. Louis Business Journal

01/13/05

The developer of the former Pet Building in downtown St. Louis has been approved for up to $752,000 in state tax credits to clean up lead paint and asbestos, the Missouri Department of Economic Development said Thursday.

The tax credits were issued through the Brownfield Redevelopment Program that helps offset costs to clean up hazardous contaminants.

BBA Acquisition Co./Balke Brown Associates is developing the vacant building, at 400 S. Fourth St., into a mixed-use space including retail, restaurant, office and residential units. In addition, developers will make public infrastructure improvements, including relocating utilities, landscaping and building new curbs, sidewalks and gutters.

Link:

State issues $752K in tax credits to redevelop Pet Building

MattnSTL · PostJan 13, 2005#42005-01-13T21:20+00:00

Great news. I can't wait for this to start. I always find myself staring at the Pet Building when I am at the new ballpark.

Guest · PostJan 13, 2005#52005-01-13T21:37+00:00

Awesome!

I hope the developers do something to make the ground floor more inviting. Right now it looks like a fortress at street level and has a weird, glassed in garden/atrium area.

I didn't know that the building was completely vacant. If the local real estate firms have been counting it in their office inventories, when it's converted to residential space, it should help improve the CBD vacancy rate.

arch city · PostJan 13, 2005#62005-01-13T21:39+00:00

I hope the parking lot is modified.

MattnSTL · PostJan 13, 2005#72005-01-13T21:49+00:00

^Yes, I would like to see a highrise condo building go up between the Pet Building and the new stadium. It could tie in with Ballpark Village.

debaliviere · PostJan 13, 2005#82005-01-13T22:03+00:00

That parking lot would be the ideal for a "Ballpark Village Phase II". It would be so great to have development on three sides of the new ballpark - much better than the current situation.

brickandmortar · PostJan 13, 2005#92005-01-13T23:58+00:00

glad to hear this project is moving forward. Does anyone know when it is supposed to be finished?

Something has to be done with that parking lot. I cut through it going to work and it is always filthy after Cardinals games. After the world series it was covered in beer bottles and had garbage cans laying on the ground for a few weeks. I wish there was a law for clean parking lots. With the new ballpark going up I hope there are plans for a nice development in that spot.

matguy70 · PostJan 14, 2005#102005-01-14T16:56+00:00

Pleased to hear this news...

I kind of like this building and for the age of it was ammused and shocked it was put on the Historical National Records. It looks so modern to me.

arch city · PostJan 19, 2005#112005-01-19T16:57+00:00

Aerial of the Pet Building with parking lot.

debaliviere · PostJan 19, 2005#122005-01-19T17:32+00:00

Nice pic.

I've always thought that the Clarion/Sheraton/Whatisitcalledthisweek Hotel really isn't an efficient use of a prominent piece of land.

smsplanstu · PostJan 19, 2005#132005-01-19T21:06+00:00

The MCI bdlgs, Millenium hotel/formerly Regal, Gentry's Landing, Mansion House, and the other one all are out of date being built during the 1960s and 1980s for MCI(guessing). Either way they are a drain on the skyline and I wouldn't mind seeing something like those slim Vancouver condo/apt. skyscrapers. Anyone else? The rotating restaurant is cool though, but these buildings are not architecturally significant just like the Mariott hotel north of Busch Stadium(two towers) on Market. The Mariott's lobby is cool and from the New York 1960s world's fair (Spanish pavillion). These buildings occupy or rather reserve prime real estate that cries out for more imaginative buildings around 400ft-600ft tall.

Anyone else?

MattnSTL · PostJan 19, 2005#142005-01-19T21:25+00:00

I would generally agree, but I think the Marriot is the most pressing need as far as the buildings you listed are concerned. That place is incredibly ugly, and does nothing for the street life. New buildings there could be integrated with Ballpark Village, and even open up onto the gateway mall.

debaliviere · PostJan 19, 2005#152005-01-19T21:47+00:00

Also, right next to the Marriott (to the west) there is the old Mark Twain Bank Building at 7th and Market. Talk about a waste - the building is only about 3 stories tall. I believe that the downtown plan mentioned it as a potential site for a Class A office building.

I agree with you, SMS, that the apartment buildings you mentioned would be great. There are several in Milwaukee (with a few under construction) along the lakefront that really look nice.

bencharif · PostJan 20, 2005#162005-01-20T14:26+00:00

Referring to the photo posted above, which is the Pet Building, please? Thanks.

jjb13 · PostJan 20, 2005#172005-01-20T15:22+00:00

bencharif -

It is the brownish mid-rise building on the far left of the picture. My guess is that it probably stands 150-200 ft high, and I believe it is in what is called the "new brutalism" architectural style.

JB

urbanstlouis · PostJan 20, 2005#182005-01-20T15:49+00:00

bencharif wrote:Referring to the photo posted above, which is the Pet Building, please? Thanks.

There is also more information on the former Pet Building at:

http://www.urbanstlouis.com/petbuilding.html

bencharif · PostJan 20, 2005#192005-01-20T16:47+00:00

Thanks, JJB and UrbanStL.

Brutal, yes, and yet that very quality, a statement against aesthetics?, against excessive refinement?, may be what earned the Pet Building its National Register status.

brickandmortar · PostJan 27, 2005#202005-01-27T21:06+00:00

I've been in the Gateway Tower on the higher floors and the road noise is constantly in the background. It gets really loud when the semis 'jake' brake. approaching the Poplar ramps. The Pet Building will need some serious sound-insulated windows. After a while you get used to it, and the views more than make up for it.

PostMar 05, 2005#212005-03-05T15:42+00:00

I saw a Balke Brown truck parked out in front of the Pet Building yesterday morning. I read that the rehab was supposed to start in January, but I walk by this building everyday and have seen zero activity(except for said truck) . There is still a Grubb-Ellis 'available' hanging on the building as well. I'm guessing the conversion is still going through, but what is the hold up? From reading this board I've gathered that it's not unusual for building construction to start late(Park East).

I checked the GE website and the Pet Building isn't listed, I was interested to see the parking lot across the street is for sale for a cool $8 million

MattnSTL · PostMar 05, 2005#222005-03-05T16:34+00:00

While that lot may not be worth quite 8 million, It definately has inflated in value since the ballpark started, and the pet building project was announce, plus just being in downtown in general would have inflated the price. But 8 million, wow, that is definately asking too much. Maybe, 4 million. SOmebody will pay it eventually though.

smsplanstu · PostMar 05, 2005#232005-03-05T17:43+00:00

Let's be like Chicago, get rid of the parking lot, and allow a developer to build a 40 story mixed use skyscraper with retail space, condos, apartments, offices, and underground parking. Sounds like a job for a developer who likes to gamble on a development before Ballpark village is in place.

brickandmortar · PostMar 05, 2005#242005-03-05T19:15+00:00

The parking lot is also a pretty big parcel at 2.56 acres, essentially two city blocks. That would make it $3,125,000 an acre.

Realistically that would have to be divided up and sold into a couple of pieces to develop. I like the idea of a tower there, but our city fathers would probably deem a parking garage a better idea since the new stadium will be too far to walk from Stadium East & West.

An interesting sidenote, I looked up the address 500 S. Broadway on the city assessors database, and there is a Valentine Street that passes through the property. I never even heard of that street before.

Having a redeveloped Pet Building must fit into some plan for Grubb-Ellis as only they know why it's worth $8 million. This could be a sign that they don't see the Cardinals reneging on the Ballpark Village Deal. I can't wait to see a website to see the plans of the new Pet Building.

matguy70 · PostMar 05, 2005#252005-03-05T21:21+00:00

The PET condominiums are going to be some great views of the new Busch Stadium. Wow!