A look across the St. Louis region's evolving real estate market

Stadium Side

LIFE IN A DOWNTOWN WEST LOFT, JUST BEYOND CITYPARK

Soccer wasn’t the selling point when Ahmad Willis moved into the Lofts at the HUPP, located two blocks from CITYPARK in Downtown West. “I didn’t know how to feel about the soccer stadium at first,” says Willis, who had never watched a soccer game. After going to a match, however, he had a new perspective. “I had a really good time. I enjoyed being around the fans—St. Louis has an incredible fan base.”

The structure that houses the lofts was built in 1919, a century before the soccer stadium was constructed. After Screaming Eagle Development put a contract on it in 2017, the historic building reopened as the Lofts at the HUPP in 2021. “The finishes and layouts are very loft-style,” says Keeley Properties vice president of marketing Maggie St. Geme. “There are a ton of amenity spaces.” The property features large storefront windows and onsite parking.

For Willis, a major draw was the lofts’ spaciousness. “The space inside the apartment is amazing,” says Willis, who owns two dogs. In fact, he’s met a number of neighbors while walking the dogs.. “Everyone is friendly here,” says Willis, who moved to the area from East St. Louis several years ago. “I came downtown thinking some people would have a problem with my dogs…but when I got here, they embraced us with open arms. When I take [the dogs] on walks, everybody stops us to rub and pet them.”

There’s also a range of entertainment options nearby. “Union Station is three blocks to the south, and there are multiple restaurants and bars on Washington Avenue, one block to the north,” says developer Matthew Masiel. “I think you’re going to start seeing more development in this area as soccer gets into full swing.” Other developments have already sprouted up near the stadium, including the redevelopment of the historic Butler Building and the new 21C Museum Hotel. AHM Group has also proposed a development just north of the stadium. Brickline Greenway is also taking shape through the heart of the city.

For Willis, it’s a larger sense of community that he’s come to embrace: “It’s a nice place to be if you plan on moving downtown.”

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Taking the Stage

EXPERT INSIGHTS FROM FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER NEIL SALSICH

Neil Salsich, the 34-year-old local musician who appeared on Season 23 of The Voice, recently took another major leap as a first-time homebuyer.

“My life has improved so much since I bought this house,” Salsich says of his home in South City. The neighborhood borders Cherokee Street. “I love walking to my favorite bars and restaurants on Cherokee. It’s spunky, plucky, and not fancy—but still pretty rich.”

Yet first-time homebuyers such as Salsich are a shrinking group. This year, the first-time buyers’ share of the real estate market has dropped more than 15 percent, which some experts attribute to rising prices and higher interest rates. Then there’s the emotional experience of buying a home for the first time.

“It was terrifying,” says Salsich. “I was scared up until the last minute.” The musician says committing to the house felt overwhelming. That said, he’s glad he did. “I was freaked out, but I had the total support and experience of my parents.”

The singer has some advice for other first-time homebuyers. “There’s never a right time to buy a house,” says Salsich. “Don’t wait for the right time or wait for something perfect.” He acknowledges that there’s always going to be some trepidation, and first-time homebuyers also need to be judicious. “Don’t just buy the first thing you see,” he says.

The professionals echo Salsich’s thoughts, especially when investing in an especially sought-after property. “If a first-time buyer is going to be going quite a bit over the asking price, make sure it’s somewhere that you’ll want to be for at least five to seven years,” says Trevor Olwig, a realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. Olwig’s advice for first-time homebuyers is to ask: Does this house make sense for me right now?

For Salsich, it was the perfect fit. “I had intel that it was going on the market, and it was down to the studs,” he says. Because of the house’s condition, he says, it was hard to envision what it would be like to live there, but he likes that his house is old on the outside and new on the inside. “If you can,” he says, “buy a house that has old bones and new guts.”

Olwig suggests to clients, “It’s OK to buy something that’s not the HGTV-perfect house but one that you can put some sweat equity into.” Olwig and his wife purchased a 100-year-old house, for instance, and completely redid it. He notes that he’s the exception, though. “Ninety percent of first-time home buyers don’t want to buy a fixer-upper.”

The singer is also a proponent of talking to neighbors. “You’ve got to engage with your street,” he says. “Don’t just park in your garage and ignore your neighbors.”

On the whole, Salsich says, the experience of buying a home is worth it. “You’ve just got to take the plunge,” he says.

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Midwest Moves

HOW A NATIONWIDE SEARCH LED TO ST. LOUIS

After living in San Francisco for almost 30 years, Ema Phelps began searching for a more affordable place to live beyond the West Coast. A Wisconsin native, she wanted to avoid frigid winters in the northern United States. She wanted a multifamily home so that she could have rental income. And she wanted to live in a proper city. “I am not a suburb girl,” she says. ¶ She also wanted the city to have a certain economic status, which she determined by the presence of multiple universities and corporate headquarters. As a co-founder of Triple Bottom Line, a non-governmental organization focused on issues around sustainability and climate change, she was looking for an entrepreneurial culture.

Her search led to three cities: Memphis, Nashville, and St. Louis. Memphis didn’t have the economic criteria that she wanted, she says, and Phelps felt that Nashville had a “Las Vegas strip” appeal that “wasn’t my vibe.”

Phelps had visited St. Louis twice before the pandemic, and during that period found a trustworthy realtor whose husband was on the police force. “He was going to make sure the location was safe, and she was going to make sure it was up to snuff,” she says.

Phelps bought a home in Tower Grove South even before seeing it in person and moved here 18 months ago. She quickly found ways to get involved in the community. During her first week, Phelps attended the chapter meeting for the United Nations Association, an organization she was involved with in California. She also started a hiking club and joined the board of the Climate Reality Project. “I think it’s really easy to make connections here,” she says.

St. Louis has also surprised Phelps in some ways. As a vegetarian, she was heartened to find so many restaurant options. She also appreciates the robust arts community. “I can go to any museum for free,” she says, “and the arts are definitely a passion of mine.”

“I have no ties in St. Louis outside of just finding it on a map…but I’ve found friends,” she says. “This is the Midwest, and everybody is so friendly, welcoming, and helpful.”

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Sharing & Caring

FOR MANY FAMILIES, HOME IS WHERE MULTIPLE GENERATIONS LIVE TOGETHER.

Harold Mountain never envisioned living in a multigenerational home. But for almost four years, he and his wife, Rachel, have been living with their four adult children and granddaughter in O’Fallon, Illinois. The couple also helps care for their aging parents out of state.

The Mountain family isn’t alone. Extended family households are on the rise in the United States. Since the early 1970s, the number of multigenerational families has quadrupled and now accounts for 18 percent of the population. High cost of living and the caregiving of family members are often the main motivators for choosing this lifestyle, though the numbers also reflect a rise in Asian and Hispanic populations. Recently, the pandemic also fueled an increase in the number of homes that were purchased for multigenerational families.

Living with extended family comes with both perks and challenges. “It started out pretty interesting,” says Mountain. For one, they needed a bigger house, so they bought one shortly after their granddaughter, Isabel, was born. They also had to figure out the meal-planning logistics, with so many adults in the house and different schedules. They ended up creating a community board where everyone shares what they’re doing for the week, so they can plan accordingly. Mountain suggests others considering a multigenerational home be mindful of family dynamics. “Once you bring another person into the environment, the dynamics change,” he says. “You have to understand their nuances and their schedules.”

Living with a grandchild also took some adjustment. “It’s a little bit trying to make sure that you’re not over-parenting,” says Mountain. On the other hand, Isabel has an abundance of support while living with grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Days off from school often involve trips to the zoo with her grandma or uncle. “We all tend to chip in and help watch her,” says Mountain. And when she has special events at school, everyone wants to show up.

“You could say she’s the favorite around the house,” says Mountain, who considers being able to see his granddaughter every day the greatest joy of multigenerational living. “I come home every day and get to ask her what she learned and if she made any friends.”

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Past Present

LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, PASADENA HILLS BOASTS SOME OF THE REGION’S MOST ORNATE AND ARCH-ITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT HOMES.

Avery and Monica Watson have lived in their 1936 Georgian-style home in Pasadena Hills since 2019. Although they own the house and have spent the past four years making it theirs, it can sometimes feel as though they’re only borrowing it. “You’re a steward of it for a particular length of time,” Monica says. “We purchased from someone who knew the history of the house. We have the original blueprints. We know who built it. We can see all of the original elements, and we know a little bit about each family that subsequently owned it. It’s like the house has a story of its own, and you’re just there for a time to add to that story.”

That’s a common sentiment in Pasadena Hills, the planned community in North County that boasts some of the most ornate and architecturally significant homes in the region. Houses designed in Tudor, French Eclectic, and Colonial Revival styles, among others, dot the neighborhood’s 140 acres of well-groomed rolling countryside. A commitment to preservation permeates every part of the neighborhood, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

“Everybody asks, ‘What is the secret here?’” says Marie Penkake, a chairperson of the Pasadena Hills Historic Preservation Commission. “I think the secret is the desire to see the historic aspects of the neighborhood continue. It’s wonderful.”

“Everybody asks, ‘What is the secret here?’ I think the secret is the desire to see the historic aspects of the neighborhood continue. It’s wonderful.”

Designed and laid out by town planner and landscape architect Roland H. Buchmueller in 1928, Pasadena Hills is reminiscent of the English countryside. Instead of building homes in a linear grid and leveling the terrain, developers wanted the existing ravines and gentle curves of the earth to be prominently featured. The tree-lined streets, which are accented by 147 cast-iron, numbered streetlamps, create a bucolic setting. All of these charms drew the Watsons to Pasadena Hills. The opportunity to own a one-of-a-kind, historic home was also appealing. Inside, a grand mahogany staircase stretches through the middle of their home, and many of the rooms are decorated with original moulding. Outside, the landscaping complements the home’s brick façade.

It takes patience and a commitment to detail for a neighborhood like this to maintain its charm. Moving into a neighborhood such as Pasadena Hills requires brushing up on statutes and ordinances. For example, Avery says, there are rules about the kinds of pipes that can be used, the styles of outdoor fencing, and the shades of color on a home’s exterior.

“Living here comes with responsibilities,” Monica says. “You’re supposed to maintain the historic nature of the neighborhood, given that it’s on the National Register of Historic Places.”

Penkake, who’s lived in Pasadena Hills for the past 20 years, says it’s rare for a home to last more than two months on the market. When a home in the neighborhood goes up for sale, it’s a given that someone will want it.

“I love our community,” Monica says. “I love Pasadena Hills.”

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Building Bridges

THE DELMAR DIVINE BRINGS ST. LOUISANS TOGETHER IN A PLACE WHERE RESIDENTS CAN WORK, PLAY, AND STAY.

The commitment that Justin Idleburg shows for his lifelong neighborhood, the West End in the city, has earned him a nickname. “Some of my neighbors call me the ‘Mayor of the West Side,’” he says. But since moving into an apartment at the Delmar Divine last year, Idleburg feels less like a mayor and more like a United Nations ambassador. Among his neighbors are natives of Asia, South America, and the Middle East. “On every floor, I’m seeing it. I see Black people, white people, brown people—everybody intermingling,” Idleburg says.

The plan for Delmar Divine is to be exactly this kind of bridge. Located in the former St. Luke’s Hospital on Delmar Boulevard, the renovated $100 million facility includes not just residences but also office space for nonprofits, restaurateur Ben Poremba's Deli Divine, a pharmacy, and more. This building that for many years sat empty now has the potential to serve as an example of what neighborhood investment can accomplish. “We talk about the Ferguson Commission and how in that report it says quality of life is priceless,” Idleburg says. “How do we get a quality of life that is priceless and that others will crave? You’ve got to invest.”

A brainchild of Build-A-Bear founder Maxine Clark, the Delmar Divine aims to be a Cortex-like hub for social services and nonprofits. But it’s also a place that people can call home. The Residences at Delmar Divine features 150 units, ranging from studio suites to two-bedroom apartments. There are also 18 units that are income-restricted. “You have a lot of the things that you need under one roof,” says property manager Tyson Johnson. “There’s also a huge sense of community here.”

There’s another way that Idleburg believes the Delmar Divine is bridging gaps: offering market-rate housing in an area where subsidized housing is common. “I actually want to stay in the house,” Idleburg says. “My grandma will tell you, ‘He won’t sit still.’ Being here—even though we’re on Delmar—it gets real quiet. The tranquility is awesome.”

The comfort he feels extends beyond his front door. As both a resident and nonprofit tenant, Idleburg is making the most of the building’s intended uses. Downstairs, he leases space for his organization, the Cabanne District Community Development Corp., which is working to bring affordable and low-energy housing to the West End.

“I love Mrs. Clark for doing this,” Idleburg says, “and creating a space for the community to come in and have any and every thing in a safe and healthy environment.”

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Market Trends

A LOOK AT THE LATEST IN ST. LOUIS REAL ESTATE

The national narrative is that the real estate market is down. “This is the year of disappointment,” Jonathan J. Miller, the president of New York–based Miller Samuel Real Estate Appraisers and Consultants told The New York Times this spring. “The sellers aren’t going to get their 2021 prices, and buyers aren’t going to get a substantial savings on the price. Everyone is in the same boat.”

St. Louis city and county, though, appear to be in a sunnier situation. “We all thought things would slow in 2023, but it feels just like the spring market of 2021,” says Trevor Olwig, a realtor at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.

For a range of neighborhoods and price points, he’s seeing multiple offers over asking price. He shared some observations about interest rates and areas to watch.

INTEREST RATES’ IMPACT

“We thought interest rates would affect the number of buyers,” Olwig adds, “but that’s not the case.” Many St. Louis buyers are still ready to buy despite rising interest rates, he says. “The initial shock value of interest rates going from 3 percent to 5 percent to 6 percent and all the way up to 7 percent hasn’t deterred buyers.” (Other Midwest cities are also reporting this trend, according to U.S. News & World Report.)

Although inventory did rise in early 2023, there is still less inventory than in prior years because many people don’t want to leave homes that they refinanced during historic 3 percent interest rates. Olwig believes that trend may continue.

AREAS TO WATCH

Olwig says many buyers are more flexible than in the past, but school district remains an important factor. “A lot of buyers search by school district,” he says.

In St. Louis County, he says, Webster Groves, Kirkwood, and Ladue are attractive to many buyers. “Most first-time home buyers are looking to Webster or Kirkwood for a house because you get a great neighborhood vibe there, but it still feels like a city, and you can walk everywhere.” He adds that Richmond Heights is another area where many first-time homebuyers flock.

“As far as city neighborhoods, the Central West End is always strong,” he adds, noting that St. Louis Hills and Lindenwood Park continue to be popular as well. “Tower Grove and the Shaw neighborhood have been very strong,” he says, “and so is Lafayette Square.”

Areas outside the city remain strong as well, though with less inventory in some areas. “The South County market has very little inventory,” says Scott Haggerty, president of St. Louis REALTORS. “It’s hovering around an absorption rate of 1.4 months, which means if no one lists new homes in that time, we run out of homes to sell.” Haggerty explains that with lower inventory, prices tend to increase. “About a year ago, people were just accepting anything. Now, buyers are being a bit more picky because the opportunity is there.” Likewise, Haggerty says there’s reduced inventory in the North County market, at the same time that there’s been a rise in remote work. “The commute [to work] is no longer a big issue,” says Haggerty.

“The St. Charles market is very hot and active,” Haggerty adds. Olwig echoes this sentiment: “All markets, including St. Charles, South and North County, and Metro East are very healthy. We’re seeing an active market at every price point due to a low inventory and a surplus of buyers.”

Both Haggerty and Olwig are optimistic about the future of the St. Louis real estate market. “I’m very encouraged by the strength of the St. Louis market, especially as it continues to rise and be a great investment,” Haggerty says. “I’m excited about the possibilities available to buyers and sellers as we move through the year.”

“The market continues to be robust,” Olwig notes. “There’s such high demand, and I believe it will continue to be a strong seller’s market for the rest of the year.”

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BY NTHE NUMBERS

$251,300

Median sales price for homes in St. Louis City and County, a nearly 5 percent increase from March ’22 to April ’23

$203,800

Median sales price for condos and townhouses in St. Louis City and County, a 7 percent increase from March ’22 to April ’23

42 DAYS

Average days on market for a house in St. Louis City and County, up from 30 days from March ’22 to April ’23

38 DAYS

Average days on market for a condo or townhouse in St. Louis City and County, up year-over-year from 35 days

$342,000

Median sales price for homes in St. Charles County, as of March ’23, a nearly 5 percent increase from the previous year

$215,000

Median sales price for condos and townhouses in St. Charles County, as of March ’23, a 5.5 percent year-over-year decrease

33 DAYS

Average days on market for a house in St. Charles County, as of March ’23, a 106 percent year-over-year increase

$170,000

Average home price in Metro East, as of November 2022, a year-over-year increase of 5 percent

60 DAYS

Average days on market for a house in Metro East, as of November 2022, down from 62 days the previous November

SOURCE: MARIS, St. Louis REALTORS, St. Charles REALTORS, Southwestern Illinois Board of REALTORS

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Family Matters

HOW A SENIOR LIVING FACILITY BROUGHT A MOTHER AND SON CLOSER TOGETHER

Rosie Coplin Dahlberg and her son, Mark Coplin, lived 100 miles apart for years. Then, last August, Coplin finally asked, “Mom, have you ever thought about moving back to

St. Louis?”

Although Rosie had been living comfortably in a retirement community in Rolla, the idea of heading east to be closer to Mark and his family was appealing. As she pondered her son’s question, it didn’t take Rosie long to realize what she wanted. “I took my son and daughter-in-law up on the idea almost immediately,” she recalls. “They almost fell off the sofa when I said, ‘Yeah, I’d move,’ because I think they were expecting Mom to be a little hesitant. That set the wheels in motion.”

Thanks to some scouting assistance from Mark, the 86-year-old quickly decided last fall that Friendship Village Sunset Hills was where she wanted to be. She was drawn to Friendship Village’s Life Care program, which allows residents to pay a monthly service fee that covers onsite health care for unlimited days. Although she’s currently staying in Friendship Village’s independent living facility, Rosie recognizes that there may come a time when she might need to move into assisted living. Because she pays into the Life Care program, Rosie will be guaranteed a spot if that day comes.

For now, Rosie’s two-bedroom apartment suits her well. She has a sizeable walk-in closet in her bedroom, a large dining area, and a spacious kitchen with gleaming white marble countertops. “The only thing is, I’m not cooking much because the food here is really good,” Rosie says.

Most of all, she loves the view from her balcony and side windows. In the near distance, Rosie can see an old gravel road. She likes watching people walk and drive by—signs of life, or “hustle and bustle,” as she calls it. Watching water bubble from an ornate fountain nearby brings her a similar sense of calm. “I was blessed with this pretty view that I can enjoy,” Rosie says.

And in the few months since her move, Rosie has discovered another perk to the location: “Sometimes my son stops by and surprises me on his way home from work.”

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Boom Town

COTTLEVILLE IS QUICKLY GROWING WHILE KEEPING A “SMALL-TOWN FEEL.”

When Frankie Martin’s Garden opened in Cottleville last summer, there was at least one amenity that stood out from other metro area food truck gardens: a parking lot for golf carts.

That’s in part because of an ordinance that allows the public to drive golf carts on streets that have a speed limit of 30 mph or less, as well as sidewalks and some trails. It’s just one way that Cottleville balances growth with preserving its history and quality of life, says Mayor Bob Ronkoski, who also cites restoration projects in the Old Town Historic District, city park, and infrastructure improvements. At the same time, Ronkoski notes, “Our population has more than doubled,” from 3,079 in 2010 to 5,695 in 2020 to an estimated 6,370 this year. In fact, the community is among Missouri’s 20 fastest-growing cities, according to stacker.com.

Among those residents is Nathan Tormala, a St. Charles County highway construction manager who built a home in Cottleville. Tormala says Cottleville still has a “small-town feel,” despite its steadily increasing population.

Ronkoski estimates that Cottleville Trails, one of the city’s newest residential developments—replete with five lakes, a community beach, walking trails, a community pool and pool house, community pavilion and firepit, and children’s play areas—will increase the city’s population by about 500. Scott J. Drachnik, president and CEO of the Economic Development Council of St. Charles County, says, “The city leaders have a balanced approach to growth.”

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WESTWARD EXPANSION

St. Charles County accounts for about 40 percent of all new single-family housing permits issued each year in the metro area, with the county adding an average of 5,000 residents annually. The World Population Review projects that the county’s population will reach 418,696 this year. As the county’s population has grown, so too have jobs, says Scott J. Drachnik, president and CEO of the Economic Development Council of St. Charles County: “The record commercial growth the county experienced in 2022 is expected to continue this year.”

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Country Meets Convenience

AT FIENUP FARMS, THE OUTDOORS IS NEAR RETAIL.

A decade after the passing of Wilbur G. Fienup, past president of the R.C. Can Co. (inventor of the pop-open biscuit can), a burgeoning community has popped up on his former family farm. Situated minutes from Chesterfield Valley’s bustling commercial area, Fienup Farms encompasses 223 single-family home sites, a 26-acre lake, a community garden, trails, children’s play areas, pickleball courts, a fire pit, and more.

It was in part the outdoor conveniences that attracted Raymond and Brenda Chiu to Fienup Farms. “The amenities are amazing,” says Brenda. The development’s design also “helps you to get to know your neighbors,” adds Raymond.

Such characteristics were all part of the development’s master plan. “We love that this community promotes a healthy lifestyle and grand, general sense of community with the incredible onsite amenities,” says John F. Eilermann Jr., CEO and chairman of McBride Homes, which was among five area homebuilders that contributed to the development, including Claymont Development, Consort Homes, Prestige Custom Homes, and Fischer & Frichtel.

When planning their home, the Chius incorporated a 16-foot kitchen island to provide enough room for Raymond, an avid cook, and Brenda, an avid baker. For their multicar garage, they worked with builders to ensure enough electrical power to accommodate charging electric and hybrid cars.

In designing their house in Fienup Farms, Jinia Chatterton and her husband, Dr. Mohammad Bashiti, opted for fewer square feet than they’d been accustomed to but that’s still large enough to entertain friends and family, including five grandchildren, ages 10 to 16. The grandchildren, she says, often gravitate to the downstairs area, which includes a pool table, ping-pong table, and other amenities. The main floor includes a kitchen that opens to an adjacent hearth room and great room, providing plenty of seating options. “It’s a wonderful open space,” says Chatterton.

The description’s also apt for Fienup Farms itself. Says Brenda Chiu, “We love it here.”

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Worth the Wait

A BELLEVILLE COUPLE CRAFTS THEIR DREAM HOME WITH A DIY APPROACH.

Local artist Ashlee Satterthwaite and her partner, Eric Pochek, had been on the hunt for a new home for three years, and they were getting tired. There were potential winners over the course of their long search, but none of them were quite right. Some they lost out on; others seemed to give them signs that they weren’t the one—like a current owner coming out to yell at the couple when they drove up.

Then the couple’s realtor sent them an address. It was a midcentury modern home in Belleville (check), in their budget (check), and featured built-in planters in front of the house and in the kitchen (check). There were plenty of projects to be done—the floors had to come out, it needed a serious deep clean, and the chimney and a bathroom needed to be repaired. But tackling a few projects was worth having a dream home that the couple could make completely their own. “I’ve got to make things personal to me. It’s a lot easier to do that when we have a blank slate,” says Satterthwaite. “I like to say that if you came across a folk-rock duo from the late 1960s, this is the kind of house they’d live in.” It’s been hard work getting to that state, and Satterthwaite and Pochek did most of that work themselves.

Mark Lawson of Black Fox Cooper, a local construction company that specializes in home renovations, suggests viewing a home renovation like a puzzle: It’s good to know what the final picture will look like, but you have to take into account the thousand smaller pieces. Often, that requires calling in a professional who knows how to handle things such as plumbing, electrical, and other large projects. But Satterthwaite and Pochek prove that taking the DIY approach can work, too. “Sometimes, people go, ‘I want to do it myself,’ but I don’t think they realize how much work it is,” says Lawson. “But if they do it right and come up with a project strategy, and they execute it and don’t worry about the little bumps in the road, at the end of the day, they will be happy with the results.”

Fresh coats of paint and new flooring in darker colors have brought some sleek touches to Satterthwaite and Pochek’s Belleville home, and snake plants are now flourishing in those built-in planters in the kitchen. Dated ’90s-style light fixtures have been replaced with modern, brassy chandeliers. There is still work to be done, but Satterthwaite says the space already feels like home: “The payoff is getting to that place where you feel more at home than you ever have.”

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INN VOGUE

Jennifer Simpson thought that running a bed and breakfast might be a nice way to spend her retirement. But in 2021, when the Merry House Inn (125 Defiance) went on the market, she and her husband, Justin, decided to jump in early and become innkeepers in addition to their full-time gigs, relocating from Wentzville to the Defiance estate. A few weeks after they bought the historic property, they heard some interesting news: The Hoffmann Family of Companies had big plans for Missouri wine country. “I thought, Either this is going to be really great, or we’re dead in the water,” says Simpson. Today, Dave Hoffmann continues turning his dream of making Augusta and its surrounding wine country towns into the “Napa of the Midwest,” but Simpson says their three-suite property is already busy. She’s hosted visitors from across the country, and she’s noticed bigger crowds at area attractions. The couple also joined some friends to purchase The Venue at Defiance (100 Defiance), a glamping and wedding venue that includes a farmhouse, bunkhouse, and pavilion. Her favorite part of hosting tourists in a community on the edge of a boom: the people. “We’ve met so many great people, and they’re all here to have a good time,” says Simpson. “We just love being a part of it.”

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Modern Addition

THE 100 ABOVE THE PARK BUILDING OFFERS A NEW OPTION IN ST. LOUIS’ MOST COSMOPOLITAN COMMUNITY.

David Cox still recalls the first time he saw the rendering of the modern 100 Above the Park luxury apartments, rising up over Forest Park in the Central West End. Designed by acclaimed architect Jeanne Gang, the 36-story building’s “scalloped façade and leaf-shaped plan” is unlike anything else amid the St. Louis skyline.

Cox, who first moved to the area in 2005 as a civil service attorney at Scott Air Force Base and later opened his own practice, says the building made an impact on him, and when he was in the market for a new place, it jumped to mind as an option.

Before construction was completed, Cox took a tour and was especially impressed with the space’s expansive windows. With floor-to-ceiling windows in every direction, the building gives residents a front-row seat to the city’s ever-changing landscape, from downtown to Forest Park.

“Floor-to-ceiling glass is precisely angled to maximize natural light and sweeping panoramic views,” explains Greg Guttman, Mac Properties’ chief marketing officer. “It’s four seasons of changing artwork inside your home.”

“Floor-to-ceiling glass is precisely angled to maximize natural light and sweeping panoramic views,” explains Greg Guttman, Mac Properties’ chief marketing officer. “It’s four seasons of changing artwork inside your home.”

Cox eventually chose an east-facing view, looking out toward downtown. “I really like the intrigue of having an urban environment,” says Cox. “I can look out my window and see what’s going on... It’s just a different way of viewing the world.”

The building’s also situated near the heart of the Central West End, which Guttman describes as “a full walk, shop, eat destination.” Cox appreciates the proximity to so many shops, restaurants, and other businesses, including Whole Foods, Straub’s, and Chase Park Plaza Cinemas. Among his favorite nearby restaurants: Yellowbelly, Brasserie, Shake Shack, and Kampai Sushi Bar. “I will literally walk out the back door, and in 50 steps I’m having great sushi,” he says.

Each month, the building also hosts events where tenants can connect. “They get local vendors like restaurants to come in and cater, so we can get to know a bit more about them,” says Cox. “I now have some very close friends as a result of these events.”

Cox feels he’s found an ideal place to live. “I always had my heart set on it,” Cox says. “I am super happy where I’m at.”