SLDC Statement on Wall Street Journal Article About Downtown St. Louis
On April 10, 2024, the Wall Street Journal published an article about some of the challenges facing Downtown St. Louis. In response, SLDC issued the following statement:
As the economic development agency serving the City of St. Louis, SLDC is bullish about the future of Downtown. While we understand there are layers of disinvestment that are not going to be reversed overnight, SLDC is committed to continuing to invest in making our downtown a more vibrant epicenter for businesses, residents and visitors.
In the past six months, SLDC has made numerous investments in downtown activations, totaling nearly $3 million. It is unfortunate that the article did not highlight these activities. Focusing on the challenges — and not the solutions being implemented — is irresponsible, unproductive and does a disservice to the businesses, philanthropic organizations, civic leaders and citizens who are working to better the city for the greater good of the St. Louis region.
The Wall Street Journal article did not include the numerous investments and activations or any of the positive momentum we are seeing in downtown, including:
SLDC Funds Committed to Downtown Investments & Activations Since October 2023
Major Downtown Redevelopment & Revitalization Projects
Recently Completed
MLS (CITYPARK) Stadium, Practice Facilities & Offices - $461 million
Union Station Hotel and Entertainment - $160 million
Butler Brothers Building (Victor Apartments) - $120 million
21C Museum Hotel (Old YMCA) - $90 million
Post Dispatch Building (Block, Inc.) Office Building - $70 million
Globe Building renovation - $45.7 million
Shell Building - Hilton Hotels - $43 million
1014 Spruce Apartments - $32.3 million
Enterprise Center Upgrades Phase 3 - $30 million
Laclede’s Landing Mixed-Use - $30 million
Jefferson Connector Phase 1 - $29.5 million
300 South Broadway – Ballpark Heights Apartments - $21.3 million
100 N. Broadway – Larsen Financial Office Building - $18 million
Ballpark Village Phase 2 - $260 million
Le Meridien Hotel - $10 million
Under Construction
Convention Center Expansion - $300 million
Jefferson Arms - $145 million
1800 Washington Apartments - $13.5 million
Planning/Preconstruction
Gateway South Mixed-Use - $1.2 billion
AHM Multi Building Mixed-Use - $232 million
Kimpton/Staybridge Hotels at Jefferson/Market - $120 million
Sheraton Hotel at Edison Building - $34.9 million
801 Washington - $45 million
Downtown Infrastructure Improvements and Investments – Highlights
Project coming to Market Street from 21st Street west to Compton – Construction to begin this year
7th Street Connector – Washington to Walnut; Convention Center to Busch Stadium – Construction to begin this spring
20th Street Mobility Improvements – Construction to begin this fall
Tucker Boulevard Cycletrack – Construction to begin this year
Interstate 64 @ Jefferson Interchange Reconfiguration
Market Street Bridge Replacement
22nd Street Extension – Scott to Olive
Jefferson / Scott / 21st Street Bikeway
Jefferson Corridor Improvements
Downtown Traffic Calming and 4th Street Cycletrack
Downtown Multimodal Street Improvements
The business and civic community in St. Louis should focus on the positive momentum in downtown instead of the negative narrative surrounding our challenges. That momentum was seen and felt last weekend when 100,000 visitors were downtown watching three major St. Louis sports franchises playing home games on the same day — while breaking the USFL attendance record — and earlier this week with the sale of the AT&T Tower. SLDC will continue to work alongside our public and private sector partners to actively and aggressively address these challenges by continuing to spur redevelopment and accelerating key initiatives to revitalize downtown St. Louis.