Video by HEC Media.
It’s fitting, in light of the building’s significant role in the city’s history, that the St. Louis Armory would become part of the blueprint for its future. Built in 1938 for the 138th Infantry Regiment of the Missouri National Guard, the structure is impressive in both architecture and history. It’s played host to not just military drills but also musical acts, and is credited with helping some of the greats of tennis—among them Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors, and Butch Buchholz—develop their game.
This once-vibrant tennis hub, music venue, and military facility for years sat vacant and dilapidated. But now it’s getting a new lease on life thanks, in part, to the work of one passionate tennis player and an experienced developer.
Rick Randall, who grew up playing tennis at the Armory, remembers the polished floorboards and the effect they had on a player’s game. “The wood was very slick, so when the ball hit it, it bounced extremely fast,” he says. “It produced a type of player who had great return of serve and a shorter, more concise stroke.”
The atmosphere, he recalls, was supportive: players of all skill levels hanging out, swapping techniques as they waited for their turn on one of the five courts. “You learned a lot about tennis just sitting there talking to these guys and hitting balls with some of these top players,” says Randall.
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Spurred by the memories, Randall set out to restore the Armory to its former glory. When the cost proved prohibitive, he introduced Philip Hulse to the building. “Phil, being a redeveloper of city buildings, figured out how to do it,” Randall says.
Hulse is managing principal of real estate developer Green Street, and has eagerly pursued the project, working with Randall to integrate some of the building’s history into its redevelopment.
Green Street plans to convert 184,000 of the 260,000 square feet into office and creative space, as well as restaurants and possibly a microbrewery. Through a collaboration with Urban Harvest, a green roof will be built to grow produce for use in the building’s restaurants. A wellness center has also been discussed, and Green Street is partnering with Cushman & Wakefield to develop the space for tenants.
Working with architectural firm Arcturis, the Armory has been reimagined with a focus on engagement and connection, with an open floor plan, a central atrium, and lots of natural light. “This is how a lot of the business and innovation community wants to work,” says Hulse.
Construction is underway, and the plan is for renovation of the building’s shell to be completed by the end of 2019. The goal is to be ready for tenants by the first or second quarter of 2020.
Although much work is needed to redevelop this long-neglected structure, Hulse says he expects to maintain much of the Armory’s historical integrity while bringing it into the 21st century. “It’s really an interesting building, and of everything I’ve done, it’s the most unique structure I have ever touched,” he says. “The steel girders on the roof support system—you just don’t see those. It’s built like a bridge. The trusses were all built in place.”
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Green Street is also working to incorporate the building’s history, including a plan to honor the 350 tennis champions—five of whom went on to win Wimbledon—who trained at the Armory. There are also proposals to remember musical acts that performed there, from James Brown to the Grateful Dead. The flagpole on the roof’s north side will be the centerpiece of an exhibit honoring military veterans.
“We want art that captures the history, but we also want interactive displays that speak to when it was an Armory, when it was a tennis facility and music venue,” says Hulse. “[We want to do] it in a way that people who come in here can step back in time to see where it was and where it is today.”
Green Street also plans to develop the 7 acres surrounding the Armory, eventually adding a residential component. Known as the Armory District, the area will connect to Midtown by way of the planned Chouteau Greenway.
“We look at how we can create an area that adds long-term value to the people who come there and acts as a catalyst for other things that create character, density, a neighborhood,” says Hulse. “Tying us all together will strengthen all of us.”
