As visitors continue to make their way to the St. Louis riverfront to check out the improvements to the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, they’ll increasingly be rubbing shoulders with the growing number of individuals who live and work just a stone’s throw away from the Gateway Arch in the historic Laclede’s Landing neighborhood. St. Louis’ oldest district and only riverfront entertainment and dining destination has long been known as a great place to dine and play, but it’s now becoming one of the city’s sought-after residential communities and business locales, with office and apartment spaces continuing to lease up in the nine-block area.
Advantes Development has invested $12 million to renovate the former Bi-State Development headquarters building, 701 N. First St., into The Landing’s first-ever multifamily development, which is quickly filling up. Over half the units are already occupied by residents who started moving in late last summer, and leasing continues at a solid pace. Upon completion of the fifth and sixth floors, Peper Lofts will deliver a total of 51 incredible apartment homes. Ten of the units on the 6th floor will now be furnished corporate suites for rental with dramatic views of the recently completed Gateway Arch grounds, the Mississippi River and the downtown St. Louis skyline. The mixed-use building is also now home to fast-growing Abstrakt Marketing, which recently moved in, taking over 20,000 square feet on the 2nd floor.
“Given the strong leasing activity and obvious demand for housing in St. Louis’ oldest district, we also are eying both the Hoffman and Greeley buildings for proposed redevelopment, with a couple of concepts currently being considered,” said Brain Minges, principal with Advantes. One would bring an additional 68 residential units and a mix of first floor retail and office space to The Landing. The second concept being explored simultaneously would reduce the total number of residential units to 44 within Greeley and utilize the Hoffman Building as a possible candidate for a commercial tenant’s future expansion, potentially adding an annex connection between it and the Peper Lofts building to create contiguous space. “We are still in the discovery phase regarding code, historic impact, and potential city approvals for the annex component, but we believe all the concepts we’re considering are viable and hope to be able to announce more details on the path forward in the coming months.”
Minges believes that coupling these additional developments with the reopening of Lucas Ave. and construction of Great Rivers Greenway’s new park will create a new main artery access point to The Landing. This will provide a direct connection to what could be a newly created residential row along Lucas Ave., allowing for more density in the area and attracting ancillary development in and around The Landing. A $350,000 project to connect Lucas Ave. all the way from Leonor K. Sullivan Blvd. to Lumiere Blvd., (3rd Street) is set to move forward in the coming weeks.
Advantes is not the only development firm welcoming tenants into newly renovated spaces. Drury Development Corp. has wrapped up its more than $2 million renovation of the Witte Hardware Building at 707 N. 2nd Street and is welcoming Brand Addition as the building’s newest tenant. The marketing company has signed a long-term, full floor lease for the top floor, which includes almost 12,000 square feet. Over the last 12 months, Drury has performed many capital improvements, including a complete overhaul and update of the lobby finishes while preserving the original exposed brick and timber construction and the six-story atrium, new HVAC system with DDC controls, new energy efficient LED lights, updated and improved complimentary tenant conference room and creation of a dedicated tenant entrance with newly renovated finishes and lighting. The building also features complimentary Wi-Fi in the new tenant lounge and multiple flat screen televisions to take a much-needed mid-day break.
“With the Arch Grounds redevelopment complete, it is a pivotal point for the Landing and the development activity is really taking off,” said Tom Milford, director of real estate for Drury Development Corp. “We’re excited to be a part of it.”
The momentum on Laclede’s Landing has also attracted the likes of SwipeSum, a tech startup company that relocated from Los Angeles earlier last year and recently moved into the Cast Iron Building at 714 North 2nd Street. The company was formed in 2016 by brothers Michael and Stephen Seamen. Both brothers have background in sales but discovered the challenge of merchant processing and decided to transform the $900 billion payments industry by identifying lower rates for merchant processing and creating an auction for merchant processers to bid on the work at businesses. SwipeSum has made a big splash since relocating to St. Louis, raising $1 million in seed funding to expand its product and personnel.
“We’re doubling down on downtown and excited to be settled into our new office at Laclede’s Landing, just walking distance from the Gateway Arch,” said Michael Seamen, co-founder of SwipeSum.
New residents and workers spending time on The Landing, as well as visitors to the riverfront, will be pleased to find the dining scene also continues to expand. Kimchi Guys, a Korean fast-casual eatery, is the newest restaurant on The Landing, having opened its doors to the public on Feb. 1. Kimchi Guys offers a fresh, exciting take on fried chicken, in addition to both traditional and non-traditional Korean BBQ options. The menu also highlights the Bibimbap, which is a popular traditional dish consisting of rice, mixed vegetables, a sweet and spicy chili pepper sauce, a fried egg, and a choice of beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, or even a plant-based protein. It joins a diverse array of existing restaurants that includes Big Daddy’s, the Old Spaghetti Factory, Morgan Street Brewery, The Lou Eats & Drinks and Mas Tequila Cantina, which collectively offer natives and tourists a change of atmosphere to satisfy their taste buds as they continue to enjoy the riverfront.
In other development updates, Great Rivers Greenway is preparing to go out to bid for the Katherine Ward Burg Garden and hopes to begin construction this summer. This is the first step in Great Rivers Greenway’s long-term plan to redevelop the St. Louis Riverfront north of the Eads Bridge and Gateway Arch. Located along the Mississippi Greenway, this half-acre site – featuring stepped terraces, curving seat walls and an iconic trellis – will provide a place to enjoy views of the Mississippi River, passing trains and the Eads Bridge as part of a uniquely St. Louis experience.
“The momentum started to build on The Landing last year coinciding with the completion of all the work on the Gateway Arch grounds and museum, and we see no sign of it letting up in 2019,” said John Clark, president of the Laclede’s Landing Community Improvement District. “With more than $20 million in recent investments and more in the works, the evolving business, residential and dining mix are adding a whole new dimension to The Landing, making it a great place for all to live, work and play.”
To learn more about all the great experiences that can be found on Laclede’s Landing, visit www.lacledeslanding.com.
Laclede’s Landing is downtown St. Louis’ oldest district and only riverfront entertainment/dining destination. The nine-block area features unique restaurants, bars, and nightclubs as well as a variety of retail shops, attractions, and businesses. Just steps away from the Gateway Arch, Laclede’s Landing offers a historical experience with charming cobblestone streets and century-old buildings overlooking the mighty Mississippi River.
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For more information, contact:
Julie Hauser
(314) 436-9090
julie@hausergrouppr.com