St. Louis City, business leaders partner to make Downtown safe and vibrant

ST. LOUIS — St. Louis City leaders and the metro business community announced a public-private partnership to make Downtown safe, vibrant and beautiful.

Greater St. Louis, Inc., (GSL) and the St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) will focus on revitalizing key corridors and vacant properties that have been hurdles in Downtown, according to a press release.

Both businesses have been tasked by St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones to develop a plan within the next 120 days to address the Railway Exchange Building and the Millennium Hotel.  

“In partnership with the St. Louis Development Corporation and Greater St. Louis, Inc., my administration is continuing our work toward a day when Downtown re-emerges as the economic and cultural beacon for our entire region,” Jones said.

GSL is overseeing the metro’s plan to advance economic growth over the next decade, called STL 2030 Jobs Plan.

“We are making and seeing progress, and the business community will continue our collaborative work with the city to make Downtown the world-class neighborhood at the heart of our world-class metro,” said Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc. 

“We also need to recognize that the complex challenges we confront in Downtown developed over decades, and they will not be fixed overnight. This will take hard, intentional and focused collaboration.” 

The Downtown Economic Justice initiatives include:

• Reducing office and retail vacancy
• Supporting key catalytic projects to spur additional private investment
• Using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to fund future renovations to large and unoccupied buildings
• Incentivizing retail development to activate street frontage
• Façade improvements
• Prioritizing infrastructure improvements that connect Downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods

Safe

City and business leaders also announced that work to revitalize 7th Street between Ballpark Village and America’s Center will start in the coming weeks, according to the press release.

The $3.6 million project includes connecting two Downtown anchor destinations that will feature new sidewalks, trees, lighting, bike lanes and opportunities for new retail. Funding comes from public and private dollars.

Crime has declined by 40% year-to-date in Downtown, according to the press release. Steps to strengthen public safety include more police presence and patrols in neighborhoods, besides an increase in outreach to residents, employers and the business community.

Vibrant

As stated in the press release, here are examples of initiatives underway to increase vibrancy Downtown:

• Downtown Retail Incentive Program: The $375,000 program led by GSL and SLDC has been met with an enthusiastic response from the retail and small business community.
• City Social: The City and GSL are partnering to host the Downtown neighborhood block party that takes place this evening (May 17) at Washington Avenue and 14th Street.
• Downtown Summer Nights: Weekly happy hour on Kiener Plaza that kicks off June 6 and takes place every Thursday evening throughout the summer.
• Busking: GSL is sponsoring more than 300 sidewalk music performers in public spaces around Downtown to help fill the air with music.
• Lunchtime Live: The weekly outdoor lunchtime party in Old Post Office Plaza. Takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every Wednesday and includes live music and food trucks.
• Greater St. Louis Marathon: In partnership with Go! St. Louis, the Greater St. Louis Marathon was held the last weekend in April, bringing over 10,000 participants to Downtown for the newly reimagined race.

Beautiful

As stated in the press release, here are active projects to make Downtown St. Louis more beautiful: 

• Infrastructure improvements: To enhance the attractiveness, walkability, bicycle use, beauty and safety of streets Downtown, GSL paid $50,000 for a traffic study for 4th Street, Broadway and Washington Avenue. City and business leaders have worked together to secure more than $9 million in funds for infrastructure improvements that are targeted to make these streets safer and more beautiful.
• Public art projects: In addition to contributions from the owner of the building, GSL paid $30,000 for the Last Missouri Exit mural south of Busch Stadium on the 6th Street exit. Through the Gateway Foundation, new public art pieces are being installed in Citygarden as part of its expansion.
• Gateway Mall: GSL and SLDC recently partnered with the Urban Land Institute to develop recommendations to enhance Gateway Mall. The report will be released in the coming weeks.