The St. Louis skyline could soon change.
The Gateway Arch Park Foundation is planning a $670 million project to transform the site of the former Millennium Hotel into a major downtown destination. Preliminary designs call for the demolition of the current structure, which has stood vacant since 2014. It would be replaced with 1.3 million square feet of residential, office, commercial, cultural, and public spaces. Plans call for upscale housing, Class A office space, an amphitheater, a food hall, event space, and a potential home for Gateway Arch National Park’s archives.
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The Gateway Arch Park Foundation, in partnership with Greater St. Louis, Inc. and the St. Louis Development Corporation, announced last September that it was under contract to purchase the site. On Wednesday, the foundation announced it has selected The Cordish Companies to lead the development.
Ryan McClure, executive director of the Gateway Arch Park Foundation, said in a statement that the nonprofit is delivering on its promise to swiftly redevelop a crucial corridor of downtown. “By selecting a developer before closing on this property, we are continuing momentum with purpose and dedication,” McClure said. “The Cordish Companies is a world-class U.S. developer, and their vision will be transformative for this site, creating a stronger, more connected downtown St. Louis and uplifting our entire region.”
Cordish knows the neighborhood well. The Baltimore-based firm co-developed Ballpark Village, teaming with the St. Louis Cardinals to bring One Cardinal Way, the Live! by Loews hotel, and the PwC Pennant Building, among other amenities to the area flanking Busch Stadium. All proposals from the RFP process, including that from The Cordish Companies, recommended demolition of the current structure. Among the projects in its portfolio, Cordish has also worked on Kansas City’s Power & Light District, several properties around Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, and more.
“This development is a once-in-a-generation moment to reimagine and continue to reinvigorate downtown’s urban core,” Blake Cordish, principal at Cordish, said in a statement. “By linking new and existing assets to thriving corridors, this project will act as a catalyst for further revitalization, bringing more residents and visitors, attracting new businesses, and driving long-term growth and vitality for St. Louis and the region.”
Why It Matters: After the 780-room hotel closed in 2014, it quickly fell into disrepair. McClure said in September that he was eager to follow guidance that the hotel site should better complement the Gateway Arch. He and his team visited several urban national parks across the country, including Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia to find inspiration for the project in St. Louis.
“Everything that we do is about uplifting the Arch, caring for it, and preserving it,” McClure told SLM in September. “So it’s a unique position to have influence over what happens to this site, to make sure that it’s an economic driver for the region, and also to ensure that it complements the Arch and better connects the Arch to the city.”
What’s Next: The Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority will review the project at its board meeting on February 25 at 3 p.m. There is no announced timeline for the groundbreaking yet.
Hear more about Gateway Arch Park Foundation’s plans on The 314 Podcast.
