ST. LOUIS & CLAYTON | Project Rundown

[Arch City]

I agree, their holdings portfolio is schizophrenic. It's all over the place. I think they bit off more than they could chew. The economy also hit the hotel industry hard. I also believe they haven't had the level of support expertise (advisors, accountants etc.) in place to help manage all of their business ventures. Family and friends don't always cut it.

I guarantee you, there was no one in place to tell them, "No". And if there was someone......they obviously didn't listen.

It's so unfortunate.

Anyway, I believe they could fetch/recoup all of what they owe off their real estate portfolio.

Roberts Tower alone has to be worth at least $35-50-million. They should sell it and the Mayfair, I think.

[stlien]

Depending on the markets their other hotels are in, they could probably make more if they were to sell those instead of the St. Louis hotels.

[Arch City]

The historic Missouri Pacific Railroad building in downtown St. Louis has been converted into a $135-million mixed-use development. Renamed Park-Pacific, it has been renovated into the largest single apartment building in downtown St. Louis with 230 apartments, commercial space, and a private garage with retail space.

It is in walking distance of the new Citygarden sculpture park, Peabody Opera House, Washington Avenue, Metrolink stations and the soon-to-be opened later this year, renovated St. Louis Central Public Library.

Between May 2011 and March 2012, there was a 600% increase in the number of leases signed for the Park-Pacific project. At the grand opening in 2011, only 20 leases had been signed. Today, more than 140 leases have been signed, which amounts to an average of 12-signed leases a month over a 10-month period. The 230-unit building is the largest single apartment building in downtown St. Louis.

Marketing and communications firm Creative Producers Group + Companies (CPG + Cos) moved in early this year, taking 23,000 square feet on the second floor of the building, located at Olive Street and Tucker Boulevard. Michael Taylor, CPG’s marketing and business development manager, said the company outgrew its 13,600-square-foot offices in the Central West End, where it was based for 25 years. The new space has a TV/production studio, three editing suites, a photo studio and an audio production suite.

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photo from nextstl.com


photo from nextstl.com

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Arch City

The historic Missouri Pacific Railroad building in downtown St. Louis has been converted into a $135-million mixed-use development. Renamed Park-Pacific, it has been renovated into the largest single apartment building in downtown St. Louis with 230 apartments, commercial space, and a private garage with retail space.

Man, that is one sexy building.

[Arch City]

A premium outlet mall war is going on in St. Louis (Chesterfield). I say the loser should build over in the Metro East (Illinois suburbs). Depending on the store mix, I think the Metro area could support two premium outlet malls that would draw people from metro Cape Giraudeau, Springfield (Illinois), Columbia (Missouri), Decatur, Illinois and possibly the Quad Cities.

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The battle for St Louis - Taubman Breaks Ground, Simon Signs Saks
By Robert Carr - GlobeSt.com
MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2012

CHESTERFIELD, MO-Both Simon Property Group and Taubman Centers are competing to see which company can build an outlet mall here first. Simon had the first cohesive statement by announcing Tuesday that it has signed anchor Saks OFF 5th to St. Louis Premium Outlets and Taubman countered Thursday by breaking ground on its project Prestige Outlets Chesterfield.

Indianapolis-based $85 million Simon’s project, a venture with Woodmont Outlets and EWB Development, is part of the mixed-use Chesterfield Blue Valley development at Interstate 64 and US Highway 40. The first phase will have 350,000 square feet. The Saks would be the first store by the brand in Missouri.

Taubman’s site is across from the current Chesterfield Mall, and is set to include about 100 stores in 450,000 square feet. Nico Schultz, development manager for the Bloomfield Hills, MI-based Taubman, tells GlobeSt.com that the firm is the first to gain all city approvals to develop its outlet center. “We have the clear time advantage, we’ve been working to put together our site for more than a year,” he says. “They have a ways to go. We have firm commitments from retailers.”

However, he says can’t reveal the names of the tenants. “We typically announce tenants after our ceremonial groundbreaking, which we’re targeting for June,” Schultz says. He says he also can’t reveal the cost of the project, which is a venture between the REIT and OutletPartners LLC.

(Read More)




St. Louis Premium Outlets (Woodmont Outlets & Simon Properties Group)


Chesterfield Prestige Outlets (Taubman Centers)


Site for Chesterfield Prestige Outlets, Taubman Centers


More Reading
Chesterfield outlet mall race still up for grabs
Taubman Breaks Ground on Luxury 450 KSF Open-Air Mall near St. Louis
Taubman Centers approved for outlet center in St. Louis

[Arch City]

The University of Missouri-St. Louis will soon unveil plans a new hotel and retail district near its campus, which has seen an increase in enrollment in recent years. It is the largest university in the St. Louis region (17,000) and the state's third largest public or private university behind Missouri-Columbia and Missouri State University.

Also, the university has multi-million dollar plans for a campus expansion that includes new buildings for the College of Optometry and College of Nursing, College of Business Administration and Science complex addition.

[Arch City]

The Center for Family History

The St. Louis County Library is building an $18-million genealogical library with a 350-seat auditorium. It is scheduled to break ground this year.

The St. Louis County Library has an extensive collection of genealogical resources that include over 100 rare Yizkor books memorializing destroyed Jewish communities in Europe with a list of Holocaust victims, the Julius K. Hunter African American Research Collection, the St. Louis Genealogy collection and more. It also houses The National Genealogical Society Book Loan Collection (NGS).

The collection, which is regularly recognized for its excellence, was previously housed at St. Louis County Library headquarters but it has recently outgrown the space.

The Center for Family History, a 57,000 sq. ft. facility when completed, will be one of only two facilities of its kind in the United States. It will incorporate a large meeting/auditorium space and a pre-function area for special events, weddings and family reunions. It will also house the "Hall of Families", which will capture the spirit and legend of companies and individuals throughout the Midwest. There are plans to break ground on the Center in 2012.

The St. Louis County Library Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization, which generates and is funded exclusively by private gifts and donations. The Center for Family History is a project of the Foundation, entirely funded by private contributions.

[Arch City]

An $8.1 billion plan calls for new homes, businesses, sidewalks and streets to give a new look to many neighborhoods with run-down and vacant buildings. Much of the 1,500 acres of north St. Louis city that is targeted by the project falls in the city's 5th ward.

Plans for the Northside Regeneration Project surfaced back in 2009. The project has been slowed by the recession in addition to court battles that have ensued over the size and scope of the project, as well as the TIF amount requested ($390-million).

Links:
Northside Regeneration Project
Northside Regeneration Landscape Architecture
Northside Regeneration project progresses with land sale (02/14/12)
Developer to discuss NorthSide Regeneration | UMSL Daily (01/30/12)
Video: Northside Regeneration Milestone (03/07/12)


View northward from 22nd Street @ I-64/U.S. 40. I-64/U.S. 40 leads out to suburban Chesterfield and St. Charles County


An idea of what the area might look like around St. Louis Union Station.




Outline not exact, but still includes the parameters.

[Arch City]

Castle Park Apartments reopened its doors yesterday following a $27.3 million renovation.

"Community Housing Concepts, a Denver based nonprofit, acquired the 209-unit complex in 2007 and hired Steele Properties to complete the historic redevelopment. The property was purchased as part of a pool of seven affordable properties."

CHC partnered with U.S. Bank, the Missouri Housing Development Commission, St. Louis County and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to finance the acquisition and redevelopment of the property.

Castle Park Apartments is a 209-unit, Section 8 family property that also serves elderly and disabled residents.

The property has had significant improvements, including: improved unit kitchens, appliances, bathrooms, heating, cooling, hot water, flooring, shelving, doors, and paint.

Property corridors have received new flooring, lighting, ceiling tiles, and paint. This historic structure also has undergone masonry and tuck pointing repair on the property’s historic metals, windows, and slate roofing.

Source

^ cool! i didn't even know that place exists.

[Arch City]

Let's see where this goes...............

When the recession hit, this area of downtown couldn't catch a break. Now the plan is to build in bits and pieces based on demand.

This scaled back Phase I doesn't look too bad.
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Cardinals reveal new plan for Ballpark Village
May 22, 2012, 11:05 a.m. EDT
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The latest plan for Ballpark Village in St. Louis is far less ambitious than previous proposals, but the Cardinals say it is far more likely to succeed.

The team on Monday announced a scaled-back plan for the area just outside of Busch Stadium. It includes plans for a team hall of fame and a themed restaurant, space for huge outdoor events, and restaurants, bars and other entertainment.

Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III isn't naming tenants but said the 100,000 square-foot retail and entertainment complex is 80 percent spoken for. The Cardinals and co-developer Cordish Co. plan to foot most of the $100 million bill.

"I'm excited about this," DeWitt told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "I think our package is coming together at the right time."

[Nexis4Jersey]

Are there any plans to make Clayton into a Thriving city and to increase density?

[Arch City]

Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey

Are there any plans to make Clayton into a thriving city and to increase density?

Not sure what you are asking, but Clayton is an inner ring suburb with a major CBD - nothing more, nothing less. I would saying it is thriving now. It has about 16,000 residents and all of the amenities (and more) that you could find in any city of similar size.

[mhays]

Clayton is the #2 downtown for the region, so "a city of its size" should reflect that role, with little (if any) relationship to its municipal population.

It's very similar to Bellevue, WA, in my city.

[Arch City]

The Cupples Station historic warehouse district, near Busch Stadium, continues its evolution with the $30-million renovation of Cupples #9. already under construction. Cupples #9 has landed tenants such as a law firm and The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, which will add to St. Louis' fast-growing list of micro breweries. Other tenants are to be announced.
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Background:

CUPPLES 9 is being redeveloped into a first class, mixed-use commercial location with a scheduled mid 2012 opening. The first floor features both office and retail opportunities with outdoor dining facing Busch Stadium. The remaining six floors are dedicated to office users. All areas feature exposed masonry and 100% refurbished douglas fir columns and beams. Ceiling heights range from 13 to 19 feet (floor to floor).

CUPPLES 9 is part of the overall Cupples station warehouse district, a nine building neighborhood built between 1894 and 1917 immediately west of Busch Stadium and minutes from the Central Business District. Formerly comprised of two dozen buildings, Cupples Station' s nine remaining structures are part of a national historic district. The Project will be the eighth Cupples Station building to be rehabilitated, following such successful projects as the Westin Hotel and Cupples One.

The Cupples Station district will be further improved when the development of the long anticipated Ballpark Village commences. Once Ballpark Village is complete, it promises to transform this emerging district into an exciting, year-round destination and a premiere commercial, residential and entertainment address.

[Arch City]

Originally Posted by mhays

Clayton is the #2 downtown for the region, so "a city of its size" should reflect that role, with little (if any) relationship to its municipal population.

It's very similar to Bellevue, WA, in my city.

Not sure what you mean, but Clayton, in my opinion, is vibrant - especially during the day. Sidewalk cafes, galleries, downtown shops/boutiques (although the St. Louis Galleria and Brentwood Boulevard retail sit on the city's edge in suburban Richmond Heights), hotels etc. Clayton/Richmond Heights has two MetroLink transit stops and a major transit center. There are music, art and other kinds of festivals and events held downtown.

Clayton is also the St. Louis County seat, and its daytime (workforce) population is between 35-40,000 - including government workers.

Don't know the square mileage of Bellevue, but Clayton's square mileage is fairly small and is mostly full of pricey residential estates and single family homes.

[Arch City]

WOW!! Check out this beauty, which was just completed. It is a new addition to the Grand Center Arts and Entertainment District in Midtown St. Louis.

This modern, three-story 27,000 square foot building is the new home to the University of Missouri-St. Louis' KWMU Media Center.

The new facility will include work offices, a studio and a small theater for live concert and lecture broadcasts. In addition to housing the radio station's studios, there will UMSL classroom space and meeting space for community events in the new building.

By the way, my favorite programming by this station is, "St. Louis History in Black & White". History that I didn't even know about. And one of my favorite segments is here.


photo, pasa, flickr.com


photo, pasa, flickr.com


photo, pasa, flickr.com

[Arch City]

For two years already, the new $160-million dollar east wing of the St. Louis Art Museum has been under construction. This isn't about cost overruns either. It seems like forever already, but it is projected that the museum's new addition won't open until next year - 2013.

Quality project with quality construction, I suppose.

The 200,000-square-foot expansion will add 30 percent more gallery and public space to the museum. A new 300-space garage has been added. And SLAM plans to hire 25 additional full-time employees.

Even though it isn't completed, the new wing has received national and international press.

Here's an older excerpt,

"The addition, designed by David Chipperfield, replaces parking lots to the south and east of the Gilbert building. It will be sheathed in cast-on-site, darkly-tinted polished concrete panels, highlighted by the gleam of Meramec river aggregate.

The existing museum’s circulation patterns have been deftly extended into a new single level of sky-lit galleries, collections support spaces, and public amenities. A series of shallow, yet broad “window-rooms,” with expansive floor-to-ceiling glass walls, enlivens both the pattern of interior experience and the restraint of the exterior.

The design team includes French landscape architect Michel Desvigne, with St. Louis-based HOK serving as the architect of record. Initial landscape schematics describe a strong relationship between the architecture and Forest Park, limiting the number of existing trees that will be removed and suggesting a periphery of randomly planted trees resolving into a series of densely planted groves closer to the new wing."

Source

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A reminder of how the new East Wing will look.

[Arch City]

Another educational and cultural institution in St. Louis is under renovation.

The St. Louis Central Public Library, which is undergoing a $79-million renovation and addition all within the original building, recently flipped the switch on June 6th to test the new L.E.D. lights that will brighten the freshly-cleaned facade.

The LED lights will not be turned on again until the library's opening later this year.

Read more and see renderings here.

[Arch City]

St. Louis Central Public Library renderings.