ST. LOUIS & CLAYTON | Project Rundown - Page 24

Arch City · #**461** Posted **Jan 4, 2013, 9:24 PM**

Grand Center A&E District is proposing a $42 million project that will result in a 136-room Hyatt hotel and 40 residential units. The project will bring back to life the Missouri Theater building, built in 1921, in Midtown St. Louis. It now is to be known as 634 Grand.

RSC & Associates, a Chicago firm led by Rich Curto, is the developer.

Forum Architects LLC is the architect. Financing for the $42 million project includes $16 million in equity from tax credits. Hyatt is contributing $1.1 million, and developers are investing $6 million. The project also requires an $18 million construction loan. The hotel expects to generate $5 million in gross operating revenue by its second year.

Photo credit, Eridony, flickr

Arch City · #**462** Posted **Jan 4, 2013, 9:36 PM**

Grand Center continues to grow and transform. Here's another project announced just 30-minutes ago. 700-800 new theater seats will be added to the district.
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Smith stages $11.5 million Sun Theater renovation
St. Louis Business Journal by Matthew Hibbard, Social Engagement Manager
Date: Friday, January 4, 2013, 2:49pm CST - Last Modified: Friday, January 4, 2013, 2:53pm CST

Steve Smith, CEO of The Lawrence Group, said his investment group TLG Sun Theater LLC plans to close on the sale of the Sun Theater in Grand Center on Jan. 8.

Grand Center Inc., led by CEO Vince Schoemehl, expects to sell the building for slightly under $1 million. Smith said once the sale is complete, work on the $11.5 million theater renovation should start immediately.

The Lawrence Group will serve as the architect on the renovation project as well as the designer and general manager. Smith said construction could begin as early as Jan. 9 and be completed sometime next summer.

Renovation work includes restoring the lobby and main auditorium space to its original style. Smith said the project also includes decreasing the auditorium seating from about 1,000 seats to 700 seats to make room for classroom space. He said construction will include installing updated technology, such as a new sprinkler system and elevators.

People's National Bank was chosen as the primarily lender in the redevelopment of the Sun Theater, Smith said, while Great Southern Bank provided bridge loans and tax credit investments.

The 30,000-square-foot Sun Theater, next to the Beaux Arts Building, will serve as the performance space for the Grand Center Arts Academy, which opened in August 2010. Smith considers the renovation of the Sun Theater the second phase of the Grand Center Arts Academy project. The Lawrence Group, along with Paric Corp., completed the first phase of the $23 million development project in August 2010, which included the construction of the academy.

photo credit, reallyboring, flickr

Source

Arch City · #**463** Posted **Jan 5, 2013, 4:22 AM**

This cool little blog out of St. Louis is very good at keeping locals abreast of the numerous smaller projects going on in St. Louis City.

For example, Farmworks, which has been posted on this thread previously, is progressing along. It is located on the North Riverfront - very close to the new Mississippi River Bridge.

Still under construction, Farmworks (aka The Stamping Lofts) includes an urban farm, fish hatchery, housing, a green business incubator and educational center to be built in a once crumbling building formerly used for distribution and manufacturing.

photo from St. Louis Development blog

#**464** Posted **Jan 9, 2013, 3:25 PM**

photo credit, reallyboring, flickr

^ so so so happy to hear this! was beginning to worry.

photoLith · #**465** Posted **Jan 9, 2013, 3:33 PM**

It's so great to see STL restoring so much of its history.

Busy Bee · #**466** Posted **Jan 9, 2013, 3:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arch City

Grand Center A&E District is proposing a $42 million project that will result in a 136-room Hyatt hotel and 40 residential units. The project will bring back to life the Missouri Theater building, built in 1921, in Midtown St. Louis. It now is to be known as 634 Grand.

RSC & Associates, a Chicago firm led by Rich Curto, is the developer.

Forum Architects LLC is the architect. Financing for the $42 million project includes $16 million in equity from tax credits. Hyatt is contributing $1.1 million, and developers are investing $6 million. The project also requires an $18 million construction loan. The hotel expects to generate $5 million in gross operating revenue by its second year.

Photo credit, Eridony, flickr

This is obviously a great project, and will save this beautiful building. I just wish the new marquee could have been an exact match to the scale and style of the original Missouri theater sign:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Centropolis

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3336/3...8a7a2c92_z.jpg

Arch City · #**467** Posted **Jan 9, 2013, 7:34 PM**

Art museum update. The massive addition is designed so that it will be contemporary with all of the new bells and whistles, but not compete with the historic and elegant Gilbert Cass structure atop Art Hill. In order to get the logic of this design, check out this photo then look left. At a distance, the new addition is nearly invisible and the Cass building keeps its integrity atop Art Hill.

_____________________________________________

Expansion raises profile of St. Louis Art Museum
December 29, 2012 8:00 am • By Diane Toroian Keaggy

St. Louis’ museums and galleries continued to welcome big-name artists and major exhibits. But the biggest art news in 2012 was the completion of the construction of the St. Louis Art Museum’s expansion. Museum officials say the $160 million project will raise the museum’s national profile and allow it to stage larger exhibits.

Major growth • The St. Louis Art Museum completed construction of its new wing, which will feature 300-space parking garage, a 100-seat restaurant and enormous galleries to showcase the museum’s vast holdings of contemporary and modern art. The public will get its first look during the opening weekend festival June 29-30. Designed by renowned British architect David Chipperfield, the building features a one-of-a-kind grid of skylights and floor-to-ceiling windows, which illuminate the artworks naturally.

“It’s a building that is about mass, about weight,” said museum director Brent Benjamin. “So much of contemporary museum architecture is about lightness and transparency, but this is a building about mass because the Cass Gilbert building is a great big pile of stone. Whatever was going to be here needed to stand up to it in terms of massiveness and weight. That is quite an accomplishment.”

The expansion also features a major outdoor sculpture, “Stone Sea,” a series of 25 stone arches.

Arch City · #**468** Posted **Jan 9, 2013, 9:59 PM**

A large swath of St. Louis' North Central area is getting a major infill makeover.

Phase II of North Sarah Apartments is underway. Photos of the recently completed Phase I are below.

When finished the $52-million, 120 units of North Sarah Apartments will bring a new, vital energy to the former Gaslight Square/Fountain Park neighborhood offering one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and townhomes, plus almost 12,000 square feet of commercial, management and community space. The architecture celebrates the historic character of the community while featuring modern amenities and green technology.

This photo by Pasa47, flickr

photoLith · #**469** Posted **Jan 9, 2013, 10:57 PM**

^
Those are pretty good looking, much better than a lot of that suburban development in the inner city with tract housing and bullshit that is far too common in other previous bombed out parts of the city that I saw when Ive been there.

#**470** Posted **Jan 10, 2013, 4:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arch City

...and the Cass building keeps its integrity atop Art Hill.

Except for the original stone columns, lintels, stairs, etc. that were unceremoniously chiseled right off the building. A million different ways that they could have connected the new wing to Gilbert's 110-year-old beauty (a glass atrium for example) and they chose to f*cking carve it up. Makes me want to punch a motherf*cker in the face.

Arch City · #**471** Posted **Jan 10, 2013, 10:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by IWant2BeInSTL

Except for the original stone columns, lintels, stairs, etc. that were unceremoniously chiseled right off the building. A million different ways that they could have connected the new wing to Gilbert's 110-year-old beauty (a glass atrium for example) and they chose to f*cking carve it up. Makes me want to punch a motherf*cker in the face.

I feel your pain. However, I'd be surprised if they didn't consider other options though. Sometimes, we don't always know all of the options and information.

If you know, please enlighten me.

#**472** Posted **Jan 11, 2013, 7:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arch City

I feel your pain. However, I'd be surprised if they didn't consider other options though. Sometimes, we don't always know all of the options and information.

If you know, please enlighten me.

I only know what I read here:

Vanishing STL: Disrespecting Cass Gilbert.

but c'mon, it's REALLY hard to believe there was absolutely no alternative. and actually i wouldn't be surprised if they didn't consider any. after all, everything that falls out of chipperfield's ass is apparently gold. (there's an interesting comment at the above link concerning Mrs. Pulitzer's affinity for chipperfield and her influence over the architect selection.)

Arch City · #**473** Posted **Jan 11, 2013, 9:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by IWant2BeInSTL

I only know what I read here:

Vanishing STL: Disrespecting Cass Gilbert.

but c'mon, it's REALLY hard to believe there was absolutely no alternative. and actually i wouldn't be surprised if they didn't consider any. after all, everything that falls out of chipperfield's ass is apparently gold. (there's an interesting comment at the above link concerning Mrs. Pulitzer's affinity for chipperfield and her influence over the architect selection.)

I don't know. I like the project although I do believe a better connection between the two buildings could have been designed and achieved. I don't know why it didn't happen, but I like the building mostly because the Cass is still the most prominent of the additions. There isn't some wild addition or glow-in-the-dark design competing with it for attention. The design is "so St. Louis", and to me, is appropriate in this case.

I don't think the cutoff is grotesque, but I do understand the gripes. I understand preservation purists concerns, but the average visitor won't care and very likely won't know.

Initially, I had reservations about the new structure's design, but now I get it - especially after seeing this photo.

Truthfully, the removed side columns, stairs etc. can be restored. And whenever that happens it is very likely you and I will no longer be around.

In regards to Emily Rauh Pulitzer, she gave $10-million towards the expansion. I'm not saying she should be a museum Czar, but you better believe if I give $10-million towards anything, I am going to have some influence.

#**474** Posted **Jan 12, 2013, 2:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arch City

I don't know. I like the project although I do believe a better connection between the two buildings could have been designed and achieved. I don't know why it didn't happen, but I like the building mostly because the Cass is still the most prominent of the additions. There isn't some wild addition or glow-in-the-dark design competing with it for attention. The design is "so St. Louis", and to me, is appropriate in this case.

I don't think the cutoff is grotesque, but I do understand the gripes. I understand preservation purists concerns, but the average visitor won't care and very likely won't know.

Initially, I had reservations about the new structure's design, but now I get it - especially after seeing this photo.

Truthfully, the removed side columns, stairs etc. can be restored. And whenever that happens it is very likely you and I will no longer be around.

In regards to Emily Rauh Pulitzer, she gave $10-million towards the expansion. I'm not saying she should be a museum Czar, but you better believe if I give $10-million towards anything, I am going to have some influence.

I'm not saying I don't like the design (aside from the aforementioned travesty). I think it's sleek and subtle (in a good way), but nothing about it screams great architecture to me. I'm mainly just really really annoyed by the completely unnecessary disrespect toward Gilbert's building, like sawing the head off of "David" in order to fit it through the doorway and then being like "What are you griping about? You can still look at the rest of it!" And of course, the removed elements will never be restored.

Arch City · #**475** Posted **Jan 13, 2013, 12:13 AM**

Two premium outlet malls in suburban Chesterfield are under construction. The Chesterfield Valley, like mid-St. Louis County (St. Louis Galleria, Plaza Frontenac), has become a premier shopping area for the St. Louis region. Chesterfield already has a large regional mall with a few exclusive retailers, the largest open-air retail center in the U.S. (2-million sq. ft. and 1.5 miles in length) and now two premium outlet malls.

Below is a graphic to demonstrate the distance between the two competing centers under construction.

Taubman Prestige Outlets – Chesterfield
$150-million, 100+ stores
Opening August 3rd, 2013

St. Louis Premium Outlets, Simon Property Group
$100-million, 85 stores, 131-acres w/office development
Opening August 22nd, 2013

Arch City · #**476** Posted **Jan 14, 2013, 3:09 PM**

The Gateway Arch will celebrate its 50th birthday on October 28th, 2015 and although the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (The Gateway Arch) is a national park, last week both St. Louis City and St. Louis County advanced sales tax bills for nearly $600-million in improvements to the national park as well as expand and improve metro greenways/trails and public parks. A public vote in the two jurisdictions will occur on April 2nd. There is some opposition.

Called CityArchRiver 2015, plans include an expanded park and expanded museum, new gardens and walkway flyovers, a new entry to the Arch's museum, a refurbished levee as well as a lid to cover the interstate highway etc. The Missouri Department of Transportation has already conducted site design work.

See more renderings here.

Arch City · #**477** Posted **Jan 18, 2013, 5:56 PM**

VIP bash for new STL theater packs house
11 hours ago • By Joe Holleman
Friday, Jan. 18, 2013

The silver screen flickers again in downtown STL, with the opening today of MX Movies.

The three-screen house is located on the ground that once was St. Louis Centre, Washington avenue between Sixth and Seventh streets. This is the most recent projection of Harman Moseley, who also operates the Chase, Moolah and Galleria movie houses.

At a VIP reception Thursday night, snacks and stuff were served up by chef Josh Galliano, late of Monarch, who is in charge of the theater menu.

Read more: Downtown St. Louis movie theater is the first in a decade

Arch City · #**478** Posted **Jan 24, 2013, 7:50 PM**

Remediation on this building is complete. Also, the Missouri Housing Development Commission recently recommended housing tax credits for this building on January 4th.

Dominium's Arcade redevelopment plan moves forward
St. Louis Business Journal
08/20/12

Dominium Development and Acquisition of Minneapolis was approved Monday by a city selection committee to move forward with negotiations for its proposed historic redevelopment of the half-million-square-foot Arcade Wright Building downtown.

Dominium, is planning to transform the long-vacant Arcade into a mixed-use building, including both high-end and affordable apartments, as well as commercial space and underground parking.

Dominium said in its proposal that it planned to convert the dilapidated Arcade into 185 units of affordable artist live/work units on the fourth through 14th floors, similar to the artist lofts the firm rehabbed in the Leather Trades building. Dominium’s plans further call for 69 units of upscale market-rate apartments on the 15th through 18th floors, according to documents submitted to the city.

In addition to living space, Dominium plans on creating 73,000 square feet of commercial space on the first three floors of the building, as well as 143 underground parking stalls. While Dominium said there currently are no commercial tenants identified, the firm said it has had preliminary discussions with potential users.

In its proposal, Dominium offered to purchase the Arcade from the city’s Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority for $6 million. The project is planned to cost $100 million.

photo credit, builtstlouis

photo, groundspeak

Arch City · #**479** Posted **Jan 25, 2013, 12:05 AM**

Jan 24, 2013, 2:35pm CST
Financing closes for phase 2 of North Sarah project
Greta Weiderman
St. Louis Business Journal

Officials with U.S. Bank and developer McCormack Baron Salazar announced the close of financing for the second phase of the North Sarah development in St. Louis.

North Sarah is a new mixed-use, mixed-income development located just north of Gaslight Square and east of the Central West End.

The $22 million in funding will go toward 10 additional mixed-use and residential buildings for the project. North Sarah Apartments Phase II, opening in 2014, will consist of 103 mixed-income rental housing units geared toward families.

The $30 million first phase of the development, which opened in October, includes 120 housing units and nearly 12,000 square feet of commercial, management and community space.

Pasa47, flickr

Arch City · #**480** Posted **Jan 25, 2013, 1:01 AM**

Since its completion in 2010, this 25-story residential tower has largely sat empty due to the recession and the previous owners' financial problems, however, there is good news on the horizon.
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Roberts Tower project inches ahead
January 22, 2013 5:29 pm
By Tim Bryant
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

A Chicago developer's $22 million plan to put 132 apartments in the empty Roberts Tower in downtown St. Louis moved a notch ahead today.

The city's Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority designated STL Tower Partners, the building's owner, as the project's preferred developer.

UrbanStreet Group, of Chicago, is leading the effort to complete the 25-story tower. Businessmen brothers Mike and Steve Roberts, of St. Louis, began the tower's construction in 2007. Except for a restaurant that went out of business within months, the building has been empty.

The Roberts had hoped to fill the building with 55 luxury condos. Under the lead of UrbanStreet Group, the sleek glass-and-concrete tower is set to get 132 apartments.

Reaching a redevelopment agreement with the LCRA will qualify the tower for 10-year tax abatement. The tower, at 411 North Eighth Street, is within a downtown redevelopment area the city established in 1988.

Read More:
Roberts Tower: Downtown's New Gem
Roberts brothers selling 4 properties

photo, eridony/flickr.com

flickr.com/goat314