• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Lost Prairie Press

Lost Prairie Press

Trending News from the Midwest - IA, IL, KS, MO, NE

  • Home
  • Midwest
  • Illinois
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Missouri
  • Nebraska
  • About Us
    • Contact Us

City Foundry Development Presses On In Midtown St. Louis Despite Pandemic – St. Louis Public Radio

February 15, 2021 by LPP Reporter

The pandemic has slowed but not stopped the opening of a high-profile development in midtown St. Louis. City Foundry, along Vandeventer Avenue across from IKEA, is expected to be open midyear.

Or at least, that’s the hope.

“Our tenants are cautiously eager to get in there and get started,” Will Smith said.

Smith is the director of asset management and investments for New + Found. The development company was launched last year by Lawrence Group, which took over the foundry site in 2015.

If the pandemic takes an unexpected turn, Smith said, it could push things back further.

“It’s just about timing,” he said. “It’s making sure that we’re not putting our tenants in a situation where they gear up and get started and spend money and hire people and then we’re in a situation where customers can’t come in and customers can’t purchase.”

Businesses have already moved into office space at City Foundry, but the opening of more public elements, like a food hall, that were slated for last year have been delayed because of the outbreak.

One of those businesses is Butler’s Pantry, which has been on board with the City Foundry development for roughly three years.

Butler’s Pantry president, Richard Nix Jr., said his plan is to open the entertainment venue 18 Rails in City Foundry this summer. “We think the timing is going to be perfect for the end or maybe the fact that COVID will maybe be ending at that particular point,” he said.

The first phase of City Foundry is a more than $220 million development. The next phase is estimated to cost $115 million. It is expected to include apartments along with more retail and office space.

The area wasn’t always so enticing. The site sat vacant for about a decade after production in the foundry stopped in 2007. Several of the buildings were listed for demolition over the years, but plans fell through.

Originally, Century Electric owned the site and made motors and generators. Preserving that piece of history was a big reason why the Lawrence Group wanted to go through with the redevelopment. The site is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Smith insists plans were never derailed by COVID-19.

City Foundry officials say roughly 50% of retail and entertainment spaces are available. It is at full capacity for office space.

City Foundry officials say roughly 50% of retail and entertainment spaces is available. It is at full capacity for office space.

“We’re not looking at having the same kind of opening that we were going to have before the pandemic when it was kind of everything at once,” he said. “We’re looking at a longer opening period because we are working with tenants on what fits their needs.”

Nix said that approach is a big reason why his company continues to stick with City Foundry, even if the pandemic causes more delays. He added that flexibility will be vital once we get through the outbreak.

“It’s going to be a little different when we come out of this,” he said. “We do know whether it’s this or something else, we just have to be creative.”

The appeal of the property is clear to other business leaders as well. City Foundry is at full capacity for current office space and at about 50% for remaining retail and entertainment spaces.

Smith said the goal is to attract local “up-and-coming” retailers, and talks continue with regional and national companies that do not yet have a location in St. Louis.

Follow Wayne on Twitter: @WayneRadio

View Source

Filed Under: Missouri

Primary Sidebar

More to See

Lancaster County reports 40 new COVID-19 cases

{{featured_button_text}} The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department reported 40 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the community total to 28,522.The number of deaths from COVID-19 in the … [Read More...] about Lancaster County reports 40 new COVID-19 cases

Cindy Lange-Kubick: Remembering Attie, the corgi that grew old with its Lincoln family

{{featured_button_text}} Andrew Weeks with his corgi, Atticus “Attie” Finch. The Lincoln attorney wrote an ode to his dog, purchased for him by his then wife, Christine Weeks, in … [Read More...] about Cindy Lange-Kubick: Remembering Attie, the corgi that grew old with its Lincoln family

Even before COVID-19, U.S. nursing homes were filling empty beds with psychiatric patients

Many elderly residents of nursing homes are seeing younger patients move in, often with mental illnesses. (Photo by Steve Smith via Getty Images) One year ago, a nursing home in Kirkland, Washington, … [Read More...] about Even before COVID-19, U.S. nursing homes were filling empty beds with psychiatric patients

Footer

WELCOME!

Thanks for visiting Lost Prairie Press!

We hope you’ll enjoy news and perspective from the Midwest – specifically, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas and Missouri.

About/Contact

Privacy Policy

Recent

  • Lancaster County reports 40 new COVID-19 cases
  • Community comes together to honor 19-year-old who died in motorcycle crash
  • Colleges are eliminating sports teams – and runners and golfers are paying more of a price than football or basketball players

Search

Tags

Ag + Environment basketball civil rights Commentary coronavirus coronavirus in Iowa COVID-19 COVID-19 deaths COVID-19 in Iowa COVID-19 vaccine Education firearms Forecast Gov. Kim Reynolds Government + Politics gun control guns gun safety Health Care high school hoops High School Sports Husker Sports Iowa Department of Natural Resources Iowa Department of Public Health Iowa Legislature Justice Lancaster lincoln Lincoln sports LPD meatpacking plants Midday Interviews Nebraska News News police brutality private schools public information school choice school vouchers Sports Top Stories US & World vaccines in iowa Weather Working + Economy

Copyright © 2021 · Lost Prairie Press