RENDERING COURTESY OF ST. LOUIS UNION STATION
A rendering of St. Louis Union Station's forthcoming aquarium
DOWNTOWN & THE NEAR SOUTH SIDE
From downtown to Benton Park, Lafayette Square to Soulard, the heart of the city has seen a surge of investment—both large-and small-scale.
Two decades ago, no one reckoned on a speedy recovery for downtown. Now lofts, boutiques, and restaurants rise above Washington Avenue, where the Mercantile Exchange (MX) and National Blues Museum have transformed the landscape. Ballpark Village is also preparing for a dramatic second phase: a 29-story residential tower, One Cardinal Way, and a class-A office building, located next to Busch Stadium. At the same time, the near South Side is experiencing a smaller-scale, grassroots resurgence. Coffee shops, corner bars, and restaurants have opened in Lafayette Square and Fox Park, and the number of rehabs in historic areas such as Benton Park is steadily growing.
History: St. Louis stayed much the same between 1774 and 1804. At the time of the Corps of Discovery, there were only 180 houses, concentrated mainly on Main, Second, and Third streets (which, at the time, had French names). In 1896, a tornado swept away huge sections of the near South Side. In Lafayette Square, nearly all that remained standing was a statue of Thomas Hart Benton.
Architecture: Between 1865 and 1885, most Lafayette Square houses were Second Empire townhouses, the largest north of the park on Benton Place and Park Avenue; after 1890, architecture went Germanic: red brick, wide arches, turrets, classical-columned porches and iron balconies. The only remnant of St. Louis’ once thriving Real Estate Row is the Old Post Office, which has been dramatically renovated. Louis Sullivan’s Wainwright Building was one of the first skyscrapers in the world, combining a steel frame with an elegant ornamental terra-cotta exterior.
In the Neighborhood: T-REX, housing 200 companies, including 180 startups and entrepreneur support organizations… The pet-friendly offices of Purina, which sponsors the annual Beggin’ Pet Parade in Soulard… The centuries-old Soulard Farmers’ Market
Rituals: Parades galore: the Annie Malone May Day Parade, VP Parade, St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Mardi Gras Grand Parade, Thanksgiving Day Parade, Labor Day Parade
Soon to Come: Union Station’s past is inspiring its future. Lodging Hospitality Management (LHM) is remaking the historic train station into a family-friendly attraction. After bringing a 3-D projected light show to the Grand Hall and a fire-and-light show beneath the train shed, LHM is building a 65,000-square-foot aquarium and a 200-foot Ferris wheel, slated to open in 2019. At the same time, the ambitious overhauls of the Arch grounds and Kiener Plaza are drawing visitors and St. Louisans alike. The Arch’s new museum is expected to open this summer.
Hangouts: Three Sixty, Soulard Coffee Garden, Bridge Tap House & Wine Bar, Polite Society, Ballpark Village, Broadway Oyster Bar, 33 Wine Shop & Bar
Photography courtesy of Forest Park Forever
The Jewel Box in Forest Park
CENTRAL WEST END & MIDTOWN
St. Louis’ most cosmopolitan neighborhood, Located at the east edge of Forest Park, continues to grow—and nearby midtown is evolving, too.
Not content to be just the geographical center of St. Louis, Grand Center represents a cultural nexus of the city: the conductor’s baton rises and falls at Powell Hall, world-class artists present their work at the Pulitzer and Contemporary, and future great minds traipse across the Saint Louis University campus. Farther west is the city’s most cosmopolitan neighborhood, the Central West End, where locals and tourists alike shop at Maryland Plaza and enjoy nearby Forest Park.
History: Drawn by the grandeur of Forest Park in the late 1800s, wealthy city residents migrated west and settled in the areas just north and east of the park, establishing Westmoreland Place, Portland Place and what would become Lindell. The private streets and cul-de-sacs still remain… The entertainment district of Gaslight Square reached its apex between the late 1950s and the late ’60s, drawing the nation’s top music acts.
Did You Know?: When the Fox Theatre opened in January 1929, its 6,000-seat capacity made it the second-largest venue of its kind in the world.
In the Neighborhood: Anchored by destinations, diversions and amenities of every sort, Midtown is almost best defined by what isn’t there, such as an overabundance of strip malls and chain restaurants. Grand Center grew even grander with the recent addition of the .ZACK and the Public Media Commons. Nearby, IKEA’s been a game changer for the neighborhood. “Without question, City Foundry would not be happening without IKEA,” says developer Steve Smith, referring to his forthcoming $300 million retail development, City Foundry. “We could not convince national retailers that this was a good investment without the credibility that IKEA provides.” Prefer boutiques over big box? The Central West End has them, along with an ever-expanding tech scene. The Cortex Innovation Community, near Washington University’s medical campus, is one of the nation’s fastest-growing startup scenes. It also houses Vicia, Michael and Tara Gallina’s acclaimed restaurant that Eater proclaimed among the best new restaurants in the country.
On the Horizon: The CWE just keeps evolving, with high rises sprouting up every block or two: notably, the 12-story Citizen Park luxury apartments, at Lindell and Euclid; The Orion, a mixed-use development housing a Whole Foods; and The Euclid across the street, boasting the city’s first Shake Shack. The modern 36-story One Hundred tower is planned along Kingshighway. And a new high-rise on Wash. U.’s medical campus is expanding space for clinical care at Siteman Cancer Center and offers a rooftop garden for patients.
Hometown Heroes: Josephine Baker, Sonny Liston, Tennessee Williams, Kate Chopin, Sara Teasdale, T.S. Eliot
Hangouts: The Chase Park Plaza, Dressel’s Public House, Coffee Cartel, Urban Chestnut Brewing Company, Pappy’s Smokehouse, The Fountain on Locust
Photo by Dan Brown
Missouri Botanical Garden
SOUTH CITY
Home to some of the region’s hippest neighborhoods, the South Side is a mix of new and old—and a blend of cuisines and cultures.
Just 15 years ago, South St. Louis was scrubby Dutch and whitebread; just 30 years ago, the Grand business district was sound asleep. Today, Vietnamese, Thai, Iraqi, Afghan, Filipino, Arab, German, Roma, Bantu, and Somali cultures weave a path down South Grand. Cherokee’s business district mixes taquerias and bodegas with its funky antiques and historic Casa Loma ballroom. Dusty corner bars and boarded-up shops have turned into Bosnian coffeehouses and international markets. And the value of those little gingerbread houses has skyrocketed.
History: The Bevo Mill neighborhood took its name from the whimsical 60-foot windmill restaurant built by August Busch Sr. Today, the old windmill houses the new Das Bevo bierhall.
Architecture: Many of St. Louis’ early corporate leaders settled in Compton Heights’ mansions… In Shaw Place, Henry Shaw re-created a street from Victorian England—an oval drive around a parkway with a fountain—and planted the seeds for the renowned Missouri Botanical Garden.
Rituals: Festival of Nations, St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dogtown, Cinco de Mayo on Cherokee Street, Candy Cane Lane
Hometown Heroes: Yogi Berra, Joe Garagiola, Harry Caray
What's New: Though bars helped stabilize The Grove for years, the turning point came when Urban Chestnut opened its brewery and bierhall. “It was the stake that went into the ground and said, ‘This is a place to invest,’” says St. Louis City Talk’s Mark Groth.
Neighborhoods near Tower Grove Park are also seeing significant investment. Botanical Heights is blooming, largely thanks to developer UIC. Last August, SSM Health broke ground on SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital and Ambulatory Care Center, a $550 million medical center expected to open in 2020. Nearby, architect firm HOK has designed a 124-unit apartment complex on a former YMCA site along South Grand. And in The Hill, the Sansone Group is planning a $40 million residential development on an 11-acre site.
Farther south, Cherokee’s Antique Row still has its neighborhood vibe, and the other side of Jefferson is vibrant with up-and-coming businesses. Packed with 1940s brick bungalows, Southampton is also evolving, with Macklind Avenue now a restaurant destination.
And to the southeast, French-settled Carondelet might be described as having a New Orleans–style vibe. It has the largest collection of “Scrubby Dutch” architecture in the city and a business strip that Groth describes as the city’s “most untapped commercial corridor…just waiting for someone to come in and do what they did on Cherokee or South Grand.”
Hangouts: Ted Drewes, Milo’s Bocce Garden, Olio, O’Connell’s Pub, Fortune Teller Bar, Atomic Cowboy, HandleBar, MoKaBe’s, The Mud House
Photography by Michael Thomas
Crown Candy Kitchen
NORTH CITY
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is just the latest chapter in a community with a rich, storied history.
Once the site of some of St. Louis’ most vibrant neighborhoods, North City suffered a huge population loss in the 1950s, mostly as a result of white flight and later due to significant black flight. For 40 years, the area hung on through redlining, population loss, decay, and a shrinking tax base. In recent years, though, the North Side is beginning a comeback, especially near Old North’s iconic Crown Candy Kitchen, where the 14th Street pedestrian mall has been revived as Crown Square.
History: Bordered by Martin Luther King, Sarah, St. Louis and Taylor, The Ville has been called the Harlem of St. Louis… The old Sportsman’s Park, originally called the Grand Avenue Ball Grounds, is now the Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club.
Architecture: Just north of Hyde Park are two of the nation’s seven remaining standpipe water towers: the red tower at Bissell and Blair and the white tower on East Grand, considered the largest perfect Corinthian column in existence when it was built in 1871. Penrose Park features the velodrome, the only such bike-racing track in St. Louis.
Did You Know?: The last surviving remnant of prairie inside the 270 corridor is located in Calvary Cemetery, overlooking the Mississippi River.
Hometown Heroes: Arthur Ashe, Dick Gregory, Grace Bumbry, Chuck Berry, Redd Foxx
What's Next: The footprint of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s new building ends across the street from the Griot Museum of Black History, where Lois Conley curated an exhibit dedicated to the residents who moved to make way for the development. But the NGA is just one piece of a larger picture called Project Connect, which coordinates the development of neighborhoods across St. Louis’ northeast side. The plans comprise myriad smaller projects coordinated in collaboration with multiple municipalities, federal agencies, community groups, and developers. “The intent of Project Connect is to physically connect all of these projects,” says Isa Reeb, one of the team’s leaders. Construction on the site is set for completion by 2022, when the NGA plans to move into the facility, and street improvements will also be complete. At the same time, national nonprofit Urban Strategies will help execute several projects thanks to funding from grants, including the construction of 700 mixed-income housing units in Preservation Square, a community center, and microfinance initiatives. Many of these improvements are being made in response to community needs but are also geared toward attracting more grants and additional development.
Hangouts: Crown Candy Kitchen, Shady Jack’s Saloon, Harlem Tap Room, LaMancha Coffee House, Cornerstone Café, Palomino Lounge
Photography by Richard Maury
The Saint Louis Art Fair in Clayton
CLAYTON & UNIVERSITY CITY
The seat of St. Louis County, Clayton is a corporate and culinary hub. Nearby, the Delmar Loop continues to roll out new surprises.
Not quite the city and not quite the ’burbs, Clayton and University City offer aspects of both. The county seat, Clayton is home to some of the area’s corporate leaders, including Enterprise Holdings and Centene, as well as an ever-evolving restaurant scene. With the younger crowd drawn to Washington University and U. City’s hip amenities, its diverse mix of residents is constantly changing as well.
History: Ralph Clayton and Martin Hanley’s donation of 104 acres of land in 1876 eventually spawned the mini-metropolis of Clayton that has come to be known as St. Louis’ second downtown. When Clayton was still in its infancy, Edward G. Lewis hatched his plan to develop the land to the north. The visionary publisher was the driving force behind what became University City.
Rituals: The Saint Louis Art Fair in downtown Clayton ranks as one of the nation’s top art fairs. And families can always find fun along the Delmar Loop, including at COCA and such annual festivals as the Loop Ice Carnival.
Hometown Heroes: Vincent Price, Kevin Kline, Rocco Landesman, William Burroughs, Walker Evans, A.E. Hotchner, Howard Nemerov, Harriett Woods, Nelly
Transformation: Wash. U. is getting a major facelift—the largest project ever undertaken on the Danforth campus. The project spans 18 acres and includes three new academic buildings, two new multi-use facilities, an expanded Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, and a new space for respite: Ann and Andrew Tisch Park. Most of the work is slated for completion by 2019.
In the Loop: Over the past 45 years, developer Joe Edwards has dramatically transformed the Delmar Loop, opening such beloved destinations as Blueberry Hill, the Tivoli, The Pageant, Pin-Up Bowl, the Moonrise Hotel, and Delmar Hall, as well as spurring the St. Louis Walk of Fame and a statue to honor Chuck Berry. But perhaps his most ambitious undertaking is the return of the Loop’s namesake: an old-time trolley line. Though there have been delays (it was originally expected to be rolling by 2014), St. Louis will soon find out whether it was all worth the wait. The trolley is expected to be running this year. Three vintage trolley cars will shuttle folks between the Loop and the Missouri History Museum.
Hangouts: Blueberry Hill, Fitz’s, Público, Meshuggah Café, City Coffeehouse & Crêperie, Bar Napoli, Pastaria, Herbie’s, Louie’s Wine Dive
Photography courtesy of Webster University
Webster University’s Browning Hall
INNER-RING SUBURBS
Not quite the city or the burbs, the inner ring offers close-knit neighborhoods and charming businesses.
From the turn-of-the-century homes and shaded lawns to the block upon block of well-kept bungalows and Arts and Crafts homes, the inner ring offers some of the area’s most picturesque suburbs. In Webster Groves, Webster University recently opened Browning Hall, an interdisciplinary science building complete with 27 labs and a 129-seat auditorium. It’s located by Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, where The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and Opera Theater of Saint Louis stage world-renowned productions.
History: Kirkwood has the distinction of being the first planned suburb west of the Mississippi River. Named after James Pugh Kirkwood, the engineer in charge of building the railroad, this bedroom community was meant to be a haven from congestion and cholera.
Did You Know?: The inventor of the loose-leaf binder lived on Vine in Maplewood.
Architecture: Brentwood has been dubbed the “City of Warmth,” Kirkwood the “queen of St. Louis suburbs.” Webster has won the Tree City USA Award for years… Amid Webster Groves’ Queen Anne and frame homes stands a startling cluster of ’50s modern houses off Grant Road; young architects still vie to live there… Kirkwood has a Frank Lloyd Wright house in Ebsworth Park, and the 1853 Kirkwood train station (which is expected to undergo a historic restoration) boasts an elegant Richardsonian architecture.
Rituals: Let Them Eat Art, Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival, Kirkwood Greentree Festival, Glendale Jazz Festival, Webster Arts Fair, Taste of Maplewood, Rock Hill Fall Festival, Turkey Day Game
Hometown Heroes: Jonathan Franzen, Marsha Mason, Phyllis Diller, Russ Mitchell, John Lutz, David Sanborn, Scott Bakula, Jane Smiley, Joe Buck
Retail: As one of the nearest outposts for big-box stores near the city, Brentwood and Richmond Heights have experienced something of a retail boom in recent years. And just south of Highway 40, The Crossings at Richmond Heights will soon add even more retail, restaurants, and a hotel.
Hangouts: The Side Project Cellar, Olive + Oak, Schlafly Bottleworks, Billy G’s, The Block–Webster Groves, Spencer’s Grill, Katie’s Pizza & Pasta, Carl’s Drive-In
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Westport Social
OUTER-RING SUBURBS
West County offers a bit of everything, from outlet malls to Fortune 500 companies, fine dining to festivals, hiking to ziplining.
Major developments are afoot across West County. Chesterfield Valley has become a shopping mecca, with two major outlet malls just miles apart. In Maryland Heights, Lodging Hospitality Management has breathed new life into Westport Plaza. “When we bought the plaza in 2012, the office occupancy rate was at 72 percent,” says Steve O’Loughlin, LHM’s president and chief operating officer. By June 2017, it was at 95 percent, and most of the retail spaces were occupied. Among the additions is Westport Social, a 12,500-square-foot restaurant and game bar. Nearby, World Wide Technology recently opened its new seven-story, LEED-certified global headquarters. Its employees can walk to Westport Plaza via “The Lid,” a 12,000-square-foot outdoor event space that doubles as the roof of the underground parking lot.
History: Though some St. Louisans think of West County as relatively new, Chesterfield actually dates back to 1817, and Pacific (originally named Franklin but renamed for the Missouri Pacific Railroad) dates back to 1819, around the time the state was created.
Hometown Heroes: Jenna Fischer, Ellie Kemper, Jon Hamm, Ernest Trova, James Gunn, David Freese
Happy Trails: Town & Country is crisscrossed with trails; Wildwood has more than 30 miles of trails; trails connect Ellisville’s myriad parks; and the Western Greenway runs between the Meramec and Missouri rivers. Where water once filled Chesterfield Valley, during the Flood of ’93, the Monarch-Chesterfield Levee Trail runs alongside sports fields and outlet malls. Looking for something different? Paddle the Creve Coeur Water Trail, a 6-mile trek across Creve Coeur Lake that continues up Fee Fee Creek—or venture through the treetops on the nearby Go Ape! Zip Line & Treetop Adventure course. Then unwind at the Creve Coeur Lakehouse.
Architecture: At Olive and Hog Hollow stood what was once the general store for the town of Lake… At one time, Wildwood’s City Hall was housed in a former inn in the historic community of Grover, with the old blacksmith’s shop located across the street… Valley Park started life as a railroad station; then, in 1903, a glass company built itself a town, scaling the houses to their residents’ rank in the company… A wonderful group of Tudor Revival houses stand in Glen Forest, just north of Fair Oaks in Ladue.
Rituals: There’s a party every month in West County, especially during the summer: Ballwin Days, Town & Country’s Fire & Ice… And Chesterfield Amphitheater regularly hosts concerts and festivals, including Taste of St. Louis.
Hangouts: Annie Gunn’s, Village Bar, Stovall’s Grove, The Wolf, Corner Pub & Grill, Walnut Grill, J. Gilbert’s Wood-Fired Steaks & Seafood, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant, Napoli 2
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Cibare at River City Casino
SOUTH COUNTY
The one-time home of John Goodman, Affton and surrounding communities offer a down-to-earth charm, affordable housing, and new developments.
Huge chunks of South County are unincorporated, yet you always know where you are. Affton has a small-town feel, its brick homes built before World War II and often occupied by three generations of the same family. Lemay has an old riverside urban industrial edge. Though far newer than the city, Crestwood has a rich history, with Route 66 running through it and the historic Sappington House—and it’s looking to the future, replacing Crestwood Mall with a multi-use facility, The Crest, complete with a movie theater, retail, restaurants, and office space. And closer to the Mississippi, Lemay boasts River City Casino, which houses gaming and fine dining, including Cibare Italian Kitchen.
History: A military barracks opened in 1826, built on 1,700 acres bought from Carondelet for $5. On July 4 of that year, Thomas Jefferson died, and the name was promptly changed to Jefferson Barracks… Affton started as the plantation of Kenneth MacKenzie, a Scotsman—but it was named for its first postmaster, Johann Aff, who ran a general store at the Ten Mile House… Lakeshire was one of St. Louis’ first true suburbs… Between 1950 and 1960, Crestwood jumped from 1,645 to more than 11,000 in population. (Crestwood takes its name from a tree at the crest of a hill—and the tree still stands, at 845 Diversey.)… The Federhofer Bakery sign and the giant ice cream cone from Velvet Freeze now stand in front of Mesnier Primary School.
Architecture: Much of South County’s housing stock was built in the ’50s and ’60s. Now like other nearby communities, it’s seeing a shift as the original homeowners—now empty-nesters—move into more manageable living arrangements and young families buy up the single-family homes… The Wilbur Park area has street after street of gingerbread houses… One of the best collections of ranch houses in the area is the group set in an oak forest at Grantwood Village. The neighborhood includes the Ulysses S. Grant historic site and Grant’s Farm, the beloved family-friendly attraction with 900-plus animals (and free beer samples).
Shifts: St. Louis has the largest concentration of Bosnians outside Europe. And though Little Bosnia remains in South City, where the American Czech Educational Center is located, many Bosnian-Americans now live in South County as well. “In the last couple years, we have come to see Bosnian-Americans as part of Affton’s identity,” says Affton High School teacher Brian Jennings. The newcomers have brought “a neighborliness,” he says. “In Bosnia, people would leave their doors open and walk in and out of each other’s houses.”
Hangouts: Helen Fitzgerald’s, O’Leary’s, Bill Gianino’s Restaurant, J.P.’s Corner Sports Bar & Grill, Mellow Mushroom, Three King’s Public House, Joey B’s, Concord Grill, Syberg’s
Photography by Lindy Drew
Ferguson Youth Initiative
NORTH COUNTY
There’s far more to Ferguson and nearby communities than out-of-towners might expect. A closer look reveals a strong community full of hidden gems, rewarding programs, and resilient citizens.
North County isn’t just a postwar suburb—people have been living there for centuries. Bridgeton’s original 15 blocks were plotted in 1794, when it was known as Marais des Liards. Florissant’s Taille de Noyer House dates back to 1790, and Hazelwood was home to American Indian settlements in 4000 B.C. And Ferguson’s Citywalk district boasts the historic Savoy Theater building (now a banquet center) and Ferguson's train depot, which now houses a museum and the Whistle Stop custard shop.
Attractions: The volunteer-run Ferguson Farmers’ Market is among the region’s freshest options. The historic Grand Staircase at Fort Belle Fontaine Park leads straight down to a riverfront trail. Charbonier Bluff, in the St. Stanislaus Conservation Area, offers a challenging hike on 600-foot river bluffs and diverse habitats for bird- and wildlife-watching. And Hazelwood offers more than 15 parks, which include outdoor swimming, fishing, and a Frisbee golf course.
Architecture: Pasadena Hills is the only neighborhood in the state whose entire municipality is on the National Register of Historic Places… Florissant has more than 40 sites on the National Register, among the most in the county… Old Ferguson West is full of beautiful, affordable Victorian and Craftsman homes.
Coming Together: After the unrest in Ferguson following the 2014 police shooting of Michael Brown, participants in the Ferguson Youth Initiative’s Second Saturdays art program painted an eight-panel mural that read, “One Love,” with a heart between the words. Sections of the painting were placed around town “to get people to see all the parts of Ferguson,” says FIY’s Gail Babcock. The Initiative also oversees such programs as Earn-a-Bike, Earn-a-Computer, and the Ferguson Community Service Program.
Investing in Ferguson: Cordell Lewis speaks with enthusiasm about Starbucks’ coming to Ferguson, describing the hope and economic opportunities the store represents. Located at West Florissant and Somerset, the location is part of the chain’s nationwide initiative to open stores in low- to medium-income urban communities. The Ferguson Starbucks employs approximately 50 people from the community. Lewis, a resident of the area, once managed a video game store in Ferguson that built community through music and poetry readings. “It’s common practice for stores to hold events,” he says. “I went a little bigger with it.” Lewis recruited at area high schools, UMSL, and St. Louis Community College in Florissant. “The amount of people with great character who want to work is one of the community’s strengths,” he says.
Hangouts: Hendel’s, Ferguson Brewing Company, Cork Wine Bar, Henke’s Tavern
Photography courtesy of Augusta Winery
Augusta Winery
ST. CHARLES COUNTY
With scenic wineries and cobblestone streets, the far west reaches of the metro region are a great place to escape—or to settle down.
St. Charles County was first settled in 1541 by the Spanish, yet today it’s synonymous with all that’s new: subdivisions, cars, babies. For years, it’s been the fastest growing part of the metro area, with major developments sprouting up, including New Town and the Streets of St. Charles.
History: When St. Charles was founded in 1765 by Louis Blanchette, the territory was Spanish, the townspeople French. When the first wave of German immigration began in 1833, St. Charles became the site of the first German settlement west of the Mississippi… Daniel Boone’s four-story home in Defiance has seven fireplaces and a ballroom.
Architecture: The first town on the Missouri River, St. Charles served as a stop-off for westbound trappers, pioneers, explorers and immigrants. As a result, it was bigger than most frontier towns—South Main is Missouri’s largest historic district. Architectural styles include colonial French and a French-German hybrid style that’s unique to the area.
Did You Know?: While a dedicated building was being built in Jefferson City, lawmakers met upstairs in a St. Charles hardware store that served as the state’s first capitol.
Sights to See: The Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles. Housed in a renovated 36,800-square foot train-car factory built in the 1940s, the Foundry hosts high-profile national touring shows but also hangs work by local and regional artists… The Rau Garden in Blanchette Park was created in the ’30s as a WPA project, and its beds, planted with 100 perennials and 1,000 annuals, are constantly in bloom.
Get Moving: St. Peters has 25 parks, but that’s just a warm-up compared to its gem of all gyms: the 236,000-square-foot Rec-Plex, replete with a world-class natatorium and diving tank, three NHL-sized hockey rinks, a day-care center, and a training facility with cutting-edge equipment for athletes who want to take their game to the next level. In O’Fallon, you can lift at the Renaud Spirit Center, swim at Alligator’s Creek Aquatic Center, or skate at Westhoff Park. Not to be forgotten: the Ozzie Smith Sports Complex and T.R. Hughes Ballpark, home to the River City Rascals and the St. Charles County Amateur Sports Hall of Fame. At nearby Dardenne Prairie’s Youth Activity Park, teens can ollie at the state’s largest skate park, go rock climbing, and play volleyball.
Rituals: Festival of the Little Hills, St. Charles Christmas Traditions, Renaissance Faire, Heritage & Freedom Fest, Lake Saint Louis’ Pirate Party
Where to Unwind: While some towns in St. Charles County have developed quickly over the past decade, Augusta and Defiance are known for the opposite: peace and relaxation. The small towns draws tourists to the area’s many wineries, including Mount Pleasant Estates, Chandler Hill Vineyards, and Augusta Winery—to name just a few. (Visit missouriwine.org for more options.) And if a drink isn’t enough to help unwind, the serene Mid-America Buddhist Association is nearby.
Hangouts: BC’s Kitchen, Stone Soup Cottage, Prasino, Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, Trailhead Brewing Company, McGurk’s Public House
Photography courtesy of Art on the Square
Art on the Square in Belleville
METRO EAST
The east side of the river offers a bit of everything: river towns and farming communities, blue-collar cities and college towns—plus enough attractions to keep St. Louisans on the Missouri side coming back for more.
Metro East is a mix of communities: a group of booming towns surrounded by their own suburbs; blue-collar towns that are bouncing back; and near-rural towns, such as Lebanon, Columbia, Waterloo, and Millstadt. And there are plenty of destinations for those who live on the Missouri side, including Pere Marquette State Park, Madison’s recently revived Gateway Motorsports Park, and Belleville’s Art on the Square in mid-May.
Architecture: There’s a happy mix on the East Side, from whitewashed farmhouses to Alton’s Victorian ladies and Elsah’s Greek Revival and gray-stone French houses… Upton Sinclair once called Leclaire, a company town created in the late 1800s at the edge of Edwardsville, a dream ahead of its time… Granite City was founded as an industrial complex to support production of a revolutionary household product called graniteware.
Hometown Heroes: Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Miles Davis, Jimmy Connors, Red Schoendienst, Jeff Tweedy
Condiment Capital: Collinsville is known as the “Horseradish Capital of the World” and sports a ketchup bottle-shaped water tower.
Catch the Ferry: Fifteen miles up the River Road from Alton is Grafton, a village at the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. For a modest amount, a ferry will take cars and trucks to St. Charles County, just 10 miles from downtown St. Chuck.
Hangouts: Gallagher’s, Fast Eddie’s Bon Air, The Loading Dock
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Downtown Maplewood
MAPLEWOOD MAKEOVER
An inner-ring suburb’s revival
A hot topic among urbanists in St. Louis is the so-called inner-ring suburb, the term for a community that rose up on the city’s border in the early 20th century. Often accessible by way of mass transit, “streetcar suburbs” are home to walkable urban neighborhoods. Yet these peaceful refuges have arrived at a moment of reckoning: The houses are 100 years old, and the residents must decide whether to reinvent their towns or move on.
Case in point: Maplewood.
More than a decade ago, the city’s leaders realized their community needed a new spark, a new call to action. At the time, the city’s face, the commercial strip along Manchester and Sutton, was suffering; at one point there were more than 15 vacant storefronts, indirect reminders of business stolen by Crestwood Mall half a century ago. So they started by ensuring that longtime businesses such as Sunnen Products and Citizens National Bank would remain in the community.
Still, people needed another reason to visit Maplewood, recalls community development director Rachelle L’Ecuyer. So rather than focus on attracting chains (with the exception of niche businesses like Penzeys Spices), Maplewood and its longtime city manager, Marty Corcoran, encouraged small businesses. L’Ecuyer also organized and promoted dozens of events, from Schlafly’s farmers market to brokers’ tours, to drive foot traffic.
At the same time, the business district embraced environmentalism, which helped improve revenue. Consolidating dumpsters and recycling bins, for instance, increased recycling while delivering savings in reduced hauling expenses. (In fact, Maplewood promptly won the EPA’s Green Power Community of the Year Award.)
Yet as the shopping district grew, the Maplewood–Richmond Heights School District floundered. When Linda Henke became superintendent, in 2000, the district was fulfilling just 57 of the 100 requirements for state accreditation—the bare minimum to remain accredited. The district had cycled through four superintendents in five years, and one eighth-grade class had burned through seven math teachers in one year. The school board faced two choices: The district could dissolve, or it could change. Fresh with new members who stood behind the superintendent, the board went to work. First, Henke terminated more than 30 percent of the teaching staff. She also began to combat the district’s image as a training ground for teachers to gain experience before moving to more prosperous districts. She credits the educators—“quiet saints,” as she dubs them—who found a way to thrive. She fought to update historic school buildings and insisted on five teachers per grade level. Henke also sought to make Maplewood a “boutique district,” one that modeled itself on prestigious private schools such as Crossroads College Prep and The College School. And, perhaps most important, she worked to instill greater pride in the district.
At one point, a mutual friend suggested that Henke contact social entrepreneur Karen Kalish, who introduced her Home Works! teacher home visit program. The two realized that reviving the link between school and home was critical to resurrecting Maplewood’s schools. When the program was first implemented, about one-third of parents responded enthusiastically; another third were indifferent, and the last third never responded. The two women knew that it was perhaps most critical to reach this last group. Eventually most of the recalcitrant parents came around.
By 2003, the district was scoring 100 on accreditation goals—a record level of improvement.
Kalish largely credits Henke—“the power of one person and her vision”—for the turnaround. Yet Henke and others community leaders are reluctant to take all of the credit. They humbly insist that it was a communitywide effort. “Business owners said, ‘What is good for Maplewood is better for me,’” says L’Ecuyer. “Maplewood is The Little Engine That Could.” —Chris Naffziger
UNINCORPORATED LIVING
More than 300,000 people currently live in unincorporated St. Louis County. If they banded together, they’d form the second largest city in the state. So what does it really mean to live in an unincorporated area? Lori Fiegel, director for the county’s strategy and innovation department, explains some of the most common misconceptions. —Nancy Curtis
Myth #1: You don't have to pay local or real estate taxes.
“Everyone in the county pays the countywide property tax. In some municipalities, you may have to pay an additional city property tax. So it’s true that if you live in unincorporated areas, you may have a lower tax burden, because you avoid paying that additional city property tax.” (Utility taxes can range from one city to the next, but the county caps utility taxes for unincorporated areas.)
Myth #2: You don't get city services, such as trash, sewer, or road maintenance.
“Your local government for certain services is through the county, so the county acts like your municipality. St. Louis County’s department of transportation is the second-largest steward of roads after MoDOT, so all of those subdivision streets are taken care of by the county highway department. You do have a bundle of local municipal-like services through the county. Trash services are fee-based and separated into trash districts through that particular company.”
Myth #3: Because there isn't a mayor or city council, there is less government control.
“Our residents in unincorporated county have a lot of opportunity to engage in local government. The meetings might not be quite as close by, but we have so many cities across the county, with different levels of participation. If folks are inclined to be active, they’re going to be active in unincorporated areas.”
Myth #4: It takes longer for police and emergency services because they're delivered through the county.
“We have a large police department, and we have precincts and substations throughout the county. The police department could give you exact numbers on response times if you want them, but they are located in many places throughout the county.”
Myth #5: Annexation rarely happens.
“We have one of the most complicated jurisdictions in the country. We have boundary laws under the Missouri statute that only apply to St. Louis County. There’s something called a Boundary Commission, an independent, state-created commission that reviews all of the annexations. In the county, a lot of places that wanted to be part of a city, a lot of that has already happened. Things quieted down, particularly with the recession… If constituents want to be part of another community, it’s certainly a doable thing. To create a new city is more complicated because we already have 90 cities, and you have to have a minimum of 10,000 people, and there has to be a petition under the state law to announce your interest in creating a new city; then you have to create another petition with all of the information about boundaries, etcetera—there’s a lot involved.”
Photography by Whitney Curtis
LIFE IN NEW TOWN
Longtime radio show host John Carney
“I always felt the need to be in the city because I wanted to be near the action, but since it’s been awhile since I’ve seen any action—that and looking at the possibility of having four kids in private schools in the city—proximity was no longer a concern. And as a 51-year-old man with two kids in single digits, retirement was not an option. The big broadcast will probably come while I’m still working.
“When I realized I could build a huge house in New Town and fare way better than attempting even a lateral move near Clifton Heights, where I was before, that was it. It was modern urbanism being discreetly conducted in a cornfield in St. Charles County.
“I expected a laid-back, quiet-at-night, close-knit community where kids could run free, and the reality was just that. It’s a modern-day Mayberry—with Cabernet. Did I mention we have a wine bar out here? There are canals and several sizable lakes. You see windsurfing, kayaks, and a six-man raft that Dad gets to row until his face turns purple.
“What I did not expect was getting stuck in a line of traffic that consisted solely of golf carts; apparently I moved to Boca Raton. And there’s cart rage. That obnoxious “ah-OOO-gah” horn was a $150 option that I did not get—yet.
“My band is playing out here Memorial Day weekend. It’ll be the first gig I’ll ever have driven a golf cart to, my drum set hanging off the back.
“It’s just one surreal experience after another.”
Photography by Wesley Law
REVIVING EAST ST. LOUIS
Navy veteran Charmaine Savage
Charmaine Savage graduated from Lincoln High School, attended college, and married her high school sweetheart, Lorenzo. The couple traveled the world during her career as a U.S. Navy officer. “But when we left home in 1989, we didn’t leave with the intention of staying gone,” she says. During return visits to St. Louis, she couldn’t resist posting “Home sweet home!” on Facebook. So after retiring, the Savages moved back to East St. Louis. In January 2016, Charmaine founded I AM EStL, a publication that, she says, tells “real stories about real people.” The first issue featured interviews with such East St. Louis natives as U.N. ambassador Donald McHenry, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, and Mayor Emeka Jackson-Hicks, as well as Remy Joh, a young woman with a disability who’s launched her own holistic business; artist Reginald Petty; and Billie Miller, owner of Billie’s Pastries, a community gathering spot. Savage aims to showcase talents of the city’s natives. “They are all around the planet, representing us well,” she says.
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
THE STARTUP SCENE
How St. Louis became the Silicon Valley of the Midwest
Midwestern values, cheap office space, and, yeah, IKEA help make St. Louis a destination city for budding entrepreneurs.
Square co-founder Jim McKelvey can rattle off a laundry list of reasons the region has become a magnet for startups: affordable office space, great schools, IKEA… “I don’t think I’ve started a company in the last 10 years where we didn’t make an IKEA run,” he adds.
In fact, the popular mobile payment company he launched with Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey recently opened an office near the new IKEA, in the Cortex technology district. The campus, which sits on 200 acres in the Central West End, has become a hub for startups such as Square. Business Insider proclaimed St. Louis the fastest-growing startup scene in the nation.
To some people on the coasts—who’ve mostly heard national news about crime, police shootings, and the Rams’ leaving town—the buzz about the startup scene might come as a surprise. But Cortex president and CEO Dennis Lower says that what might appear an overnight success was years in the making.
The site dates back more than 15 years, when leaders of such nearby organizations as Washington University, BJC HealthCare, and the Missouri Botanical Garden convened to discuss how St. Louis—already the home of a thriving bioscience industry—could grow into an innovation hub. Cortex was born in 2002.
The district’s master plan projects $2.1 billion in construction and more than 4.5 million square feet of mixed-use development. Though Lower says there is room for growth, he adds, “We have come miles in establishing a broad metro technology ecosystem.”
Of course, that ecosystem extends beyond the CWE. Nearby, the Lawrence Group is planning a significant mixed-use development, City Foundry. In Creve Coeur, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center recently added a $45 million addition, and the 39 North ag-tech district is attracting new talent. And downtown is the T-REX technology incubator, where more than 100 startups reside—making it ideal for collaboration and innovation.
Among the T-REX tenants is Arch Grants, a nonprofit that provides essential funding to budding entrepreneurs. Its former executive director, Ginger Imster, concurred with McKelvey’s assessment of St. Louis as an attractive place for startups—because we’re not in Silicon Valley.
“Our Midwestern values are one of our greatest assets in term of how we are building the startup community in St. Louis,” she said. “There is a donor community that is anxious to see the headlines about St. Louis change from negative to positive.” —Eric Berger
