News
Louis City, Business Leaders Announce Partnership
ST. LOUIS – St. Louis city leaders and the metropolitan business community announced a public-private partnership to make the city’s downtown safe, vibrant and beautiful.
Louis, Inc., (GSL) and the St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) will focus on revitalizing key corridors and vacant properties that have been obstacles in the downtown area, according to a news release.
Both companies have been tasked by St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones to develop a plan over the next 120 days to address the Railway Exchange Building and the Millennium Hotel.
Louis, Inc., my administration continues our work toward the day when Downtown reemerges as the economic and cultural beacon for our entire region,” said Jones.
GSL is overseeing the metro’s plan to promote economic growth over the next decade, called STL 2030 Employment Plan.
“We are making and seeing progress, and the business community will continue our collaborative work with the city to make Downtown the world-class neighborhood at the heart of our world-class metro,” said Jason Hall, CEO of Grande St. Inc.
“We also need to recognize that the complex challenges we face in the city center have developed over decades and will not be resolved overnight. This will require difficult, intentional and focused collaboration.”
The Center’s Economic Justice initiatives include:
- Reduction of vacancies in offices and retail
- Support key catalytic projects to stimulate additional private investment
- Using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to fund future renovations to large, unoccupied buildings
- Encourage retail development to activate street frontage
- Facade improvements
- Prioritizing infrastructure improvements that connect the Center and neighboring neighborhoods
Safe
City and business leaders also announced that work to revitalize 7th Street between Ballpark Village and America’s Center will begin in the coming weeks, according to the press release.
The $3.6 million project includes connecting two anchor downtown destinations that will feature new sidewalks, trees, lighting, bike lanes and opportunities for new retail. Funding comes from public and private dollars.
Crime is down 40% year-to-date in the city center, according to the press release. Measures to enhance public safety include increased police presence and patrols in neighborhoods, as well as increased awareness among residents, employers and the business community.
Vibrant
As stated in the press release, here are some examples of initiatives underway to increase the vitality of the Center:
- Downtown Retail Incentive Program: The $375,000 program led by GSL and SLDC has garnered an enthusiastic response from the retail and small business community.
- City Social: The city and GSL are partnering to host the Downtown block party taking place tonight (May 17) at Washington Avenue and 14th Street.
- Downtown Summer Nights: Weekly happy hour at Kiener Plaza that starts June 6 and runs every Thursday night throughout the summer.
- Busking: GSL is sponsoring more than 300 sidewalk musical artists in public spaces downtown to help fill the air with music.
- Lunchtime Live: The weekly outdoor lunchtime party at the Old Post Office Plaza. It takes place from 11:30am to 1:30pm every Wednesday and includes live music and food trucks.
- Greater St. Louis Marathon: In partnership with Go! Louis, the Greater St. Louis Marathon was held the last weekend in April, bringing more than 10,000 participants to the city center for the newly reimagined race.
Beautiful
As stated in the press release, here are active projects to make downtown St. Louis more beautiful:
- Infrastructure Improvements: To increase the attractiveness, walkability, bikeability, beauty and safety of downtown streets, GSL paid $50,000 for a traffic study for 4th Street, Broadway and Washington Ave. City and business leaders worked together to secure more than $9 million in funding for infrastructure improvements designed to make these streets safer and more beautiful.
- Public art projects: In addition to contributions from the building owner, GSL paid $30,000 for the Last Missouri Exit mural south of Busch Stadium off 6th Street. Through the Gateway Foundation, new pieces of public art are being installed at Citygarden as part of its expansion.
- Gateway Mall: GSL and SLDC recently partnered with the Urban Land Institute to develop recommendations to improve the Gateway Mall. The report will be released in the coming weeks.