Arcade-Wright Building - 800 Olive Street

resurrectus · PostJan 28, 2007#762007-01-28T02:27+00:00

bpe235 wrote:I found out last night that a family member has a basement full of old arcade stuff. I'm going to go snoop around down there sometime this week. I'm especially interested in a box full of old printing press plates, one of which is of the A/W itself.

Please post some pictures if you take any.

The gothic architecture is breathtaking. It would be exciting if a secret tunnel in the basement were found. Actually, just the possibility of finding something secret is a bit exciting.

Pictures below from http://irrationalecstasy.blogspot.com/2 ... lding.html on April 6, 2006.

Oh my God--it's the real Mona Lisa!

^

^

^

Oops...Jambo already posted that link on page 2.

moorlander · PostJan 28, 2007#772007-01-28T05:00+00:00

bpe235 wrote:I found out last night that a family member has a basement full of old arcade stuff. I'm going to go snoop around down there sometime this week. I'm especially interested in a box full of old printing press plates, one of which is of the A/W itself.

I got one of the printing plates. The metal plate is a picture from either the east or west foyer. more to come....

PostJan 29, 2007#782007-01-29T18:41+00:00

http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/ ... tory5.html

Steffen starts work on $132 million Arcade rehab

St. Louis Business Journal - January 26, 2007

by Lisa R. Brown

Traffic lanes and access to MetroLink will be impaired during the renovation of the Arcade Building.

View Larger

Construction has begun on Pyramid Cos.' $132 million renovation of the Arcade Building at 812 Olive St. downtown.

The building, which spans a city block between Olive and Pine at Seventh Street, will be converted to 40,000 square feet of retail space, condos and office space.

Beginning Jan. 29 and spanning the next 34 months, several sidewalks surrounding the building will be closed, in addition to traffic lane closures.

"To complete this work will require the periodic closing of sidewalks and streets in Post Office Square," Pyramid's Project Manager Tony Summers wrote in a Jan. 22 letter to surrounding businesses, including the St. Louis Business Journal, which leases office space in the Old Post Office across the street from the Arcade. John Steffen heads Pyramid.

S.M. Wilson & Co. is the general contractor. Environmental Operations Inc. is providing environmental engineering, remediation and demolition services.

Summers said the abatement and demolition process will span one year, followed by the renovation work, which will be completed by the end of 2009. Whether the Arcade will include a hotel and the exact amount of residential units and office space are still being determined.

Sidewalk and traffic lane closures include:

One lane of Olive Street might be closed for short time periods. The sidewalk on the south side of Olive along the Arcade Building will be closed to pedestrian traffic for short periods.

Two lanes, one parking lane and one traffic lane, of Pine Street between Eighth Street and the Paul Brown Building will be closed.

The sidewalk and the stairway access to the MetroLink station on the north side of Pine Street adjacent to the Arcade Building will be closed until 2010, when the project is expected to be completed. Other entryways to the MetroLink station will remain open.

One parking and one traffic lane on Eighth Street between Pine and Olive streets will be closed. The sidewalk in front of the Arcade Building on Eighth Street will be closed.

Pyramid plans to start construction on several downtown projects this year, including the $135 million redevelopment of One City Centre and the former St. Louis Centre mall, the $39 million redevelopment of the 305 N. Broadway building, the $93 million redevelopment of the Jefferson Arms building, and the $108 million redevelopment of the former Dillard's building.

lrbrown@bizjournals.com

I can't describe how excited I am about this redevelopment. It almost gives me the chills.

trent · PostJan 30, 2007#792007-01-30T16:06+00:00

Yeah, easily one of the best projects, potential-wise, in the downtown area.

MattnSTL · PostJan 30, 2007#802007-01-30T16:15+00:00

Great news. long overdue.

gerwitz · PostJan 30, 2007#812007-01-30T21:01+00:00

Construction has begun on Pyramid Cos.' $132 million renovation of the Arcade Building at 812 Olive St. downtown.

The building, which spans a city block between Olive and Pine at Seventh Street, will be converted to 40,000 square feet of retail space, condos and office space.

For those keeping score at home, the address in the article is correct, and that means the street location cannot be. The Arcade is on the west side of 8th.

Great news to hear this isn't being delaying by the attention to 600 Washington. Also great to see 305 N. Broadway is scheduled to begin this year... 6th street is going to see some dramatic changes from BPV to Washington. Let's hope the Stix is soon to follow.

moorlander · PostJan 30, 2007#822007-01-30T23:50+00:00

^ good eye... I didn't even catch that and I used to work right there. I believe it's 912 olive. It's not like the BJ isn't DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET!

matguy70 · PostFeb 23, 2007#832007-02-23T18:03+00:00

Finally - the construction has begun - fences around the streetlevel and construction men/women are in the building.

doug · PostFeb 23, 2007#842007-02-23T19:02+00:00

Yeah, the City really is making an upswing. Quite a few things in this town upset me, yet, wow, the Arcade Building... There is a lot of potential in this town and its being actualized.

manchester · PostFeb 23, 2007#852007-02-23T21:55+00:00

Does anyone know which building has more square footage, the arcade or the syndicate? The Syndicate just looks massive, but the Arcade/Wright is two buildings and they look from the ground about the same height, so I wasnt sure which was bigger. I can't wait for those bay windows on the street to be occupied.

jambo · PostMar 26, 2007#862007-03-26T00:13+00:00

Look for a grand opening event during the Spring Downtown Housing Tour (2-3 June). There will be a display unit in the Paul Brown building.

steve · PostApr 06, 2007#872007-04-06T19:51+00:00

So it looks like part of this project will be a hotel. Glad to see the Arcade is starting to take shape.

jambo · PostApr 06, 2007#882007-04-06T20:31+00:00

FYI: http://arcadeliving.com/

Experience the sparkle of the city’s most impressive interior restoration

at our Grand Opening Celebration in May 2007.

marmar · PostApr 07, 2007#892007-04-07T05:47+00:00

I've always loved Olive Street from Washington to 12th. It's exciting to me that this project has begun. Those of you who don't remember, this was quite the busy shopping street. Let's see, can I remember correctly...with Boyd's flanking Olive, Botany 500, National Shirt Shop, The Forum Cafeteria and I believe Brooks Brothers was east of Famous Barr in the Executive Bldg. (now the Millenium), not to mention many other specialty stores besides the Arcade itself with several good jewelers. I miss the old Holland Building, but at least something more impressive (at the time) was built in it's place (Laclede Gas Building).

Now if only they'd build something nice to fill that silly little parking lot just west of the Metropolitan Life Building. That lot RUINS the cityscape on Olive.

Olive Street will once again bustle with the opening of the Arcade, Syndicate Trust and Paul Brown!

jcity · PostApr 07, 2007#902007-04-07T20:04+00:00

wow, I wish I could have seen the days of strong retail on Olive. Wasn't Scruggs, Vandervort and Barney department store in the Syndicate?

innov8ion · PostApr 07, 2007#912007-04-07T20:41+00:00

Marmar wrote:I've always loved Olive Street from Washington to 12th. It's exciting to me that this project has begun. Those of you who don't remember, this was quite the busy shopping street. Let's see, can I remember correctly...with Boyd's flanking Olive, Botany 500, National Shirt Shop, The Forum Cafeteria and I believe Brooks Brothers was east of Famous Barr in the Executive Bldg. (now the Millenium), not to mention many other specialty stores besides the Arcade itself with several good jewelers. I miss the old Holland Building, but at least something more impressive (at the time) was built in it's place (Laclede Gas Building).

Now if only they'd build something nice to fill that silly little parking lot just west of the Metropolitan Life Building. That lot RUINS the cityscape on Olive.

Olive Street will once again bustle with the opening of the Arcade, Syndicate Trust and Paul Brown!

And the Alexa

Also, Washington and Olive are parallel. Not sure what is actually meant by your first sentence. There is actually no 12th St. -- It's Tucker.

marmar · PostApr 09, 2007#922007-04-09T23:58+00:00

^Yes, I meant Tucker. My bad. I was thinking numbers, 9th St., 10th St., etc. trying to remember what was there. Tucker used to be 12th, but I don't know when it was renamed Tucker...perhaps after Mayor Raymond R. Tucker...?? I really don't know...I trust someone will enlighten me.

What I meant is, Olive had such an urban "canyon" feel...still does. Alas, and thank God, there's so much going on downtown, I don't know one loft project from the other, unless they retain the original name of the building, so thanks for mentioning the Alexa!! (Isn't that the Syndicate Trust?)

Washington also had a "canyon" feel before much was torn down to the west. I remember looking west on Washington and the "canyon" seemed to stretch almost to the horizon!

I'm not the type to live in a loft, but I can appreciate that lifestyle and am thankful for lofters...if not for them, where would DT St. Louis be???

Yes, JCity, SV&B was in the Syndicate Trust and the now destroyed Century, which together took up that whole block. Jacards Jewelers was in the Century also, but it was part of the department store, yet separate. It was really cool to enter SV&B through that entrance (and I think it was the main entrance). I said this in a post once before, but it was strange that escalators only went to the fourth floor...you either had to take the elevator or use the stairs the rest of the way up!! Seemed so aniquated. Nontheless, it was a very cool large department store.

Sheesh...here I go again reminiscing and getting off topic...sorry!!

MattnSTL · PostApr 10, 2007#932007-04-10T03:23+00:00

The Alexa is the Chemical Building.

marmar · PostApr 10, 2007#942007-04-10T06:06+00:00

Thanks! (See what I mean?)

innov8ion · PostApr 10, 2007#952007-04-10T20:10+00:00

Marmar wrote:Sheesh...here I go again reminiscing and getting off topic...sorry!!

No, thank you! We live in a fairly old, historic area (at least by American standards) and it's enjoyable to learn more about its history...

Expat · PostApr 10, 2007#962007-04-10T20:19+00:00

^Agreed. Marmar, I love it when you take us down memory lane! This info is too good to get lost. Keep it coming.

marmar · PostApr 11, 2007#972007-04-11T07:20+00:00

Gee, thanks guys! I love to share my memories, and try to when it seems appropriate. I have an old radio air check of KXOK radio from 1961 that has the "Downtown St. Louis Gives You More" jingle on it. If I knew how to copy and post it, I would...I guess it would go under "photography" as there's no audio heading. If you guys or anyone else are interested in hearing it, tell me how to do it and I will TRY to comply (I really am not very computer savvy). I also have some scanned images of some old KXOK sing-a-long surveys (anybody else old enough to remember those??) from the early/mid sixties with ads/promos for local places like Kiel Opera House, etc. (Beatles when they were in St. Louis, others) if anyone would be interested in seeing those...would have (tried) to post them earlier, but not sure many would be interested in seeing such things, or even if appropriate in this forum.

Maybe there needs to be an "audio","nostalgia" or "miscelaneous" heading...(?)...where such stuff could be posted, if the moderaters feel those subject matters are appropriate.

Well, I've gotten off topic AGAIN...so, back to the Arcade (with apologies for myself and in advance for anyone who may reply to my above post)!!

innov8ion · PostApr 11, 2007#982007-04-11T18:37+00:00

- http://www.houndbite.com/ is the YouTube of audio clips.

- http://youtube.com/ is the YouTube of video clips

- http://www.flickr.com/ is great for sharing photos and embedding them here.

threeonefour · PostApr 12, 2007#992007-04-12T00:25+00:00

Marmar wrote:^Yes, I meant Tucker. My bad. I was thinking numbers, 9th St., 10th St., etc. trying to remember what was there. Tucker used to be 12th, but I don't know when it was renamed Tucker...perhaps after Mayor Raymond R. Tucker...?? I really don't know...I trust someone will enlighten me.

What I meant is, Olive had such an urban "canyon" feel...still does. Alas, and thank God, there's so much going on downtown, I don't know one loft project from the other, unless they retain the original name of the building, so thanks for mentioning the Alexa!! (Isn't that the Syndicate Trust?)

Washington also had a "canyon" feel before much was torn down to the west. I remember looking west on Washington and the "canyon" seemed to stretch almost to the horizon!

I'm not the type to live in a loft, but I can appreciate that lifestyle and am thankful for lofters...if not for them, where would DT St. Louis be???

Yes, JCity, SV&B was in the Syndicate Trust and the now destroyed Century, which together took up that whole block. Jacards Jewelers was in the Century also, but it was part of the department store, yet separate. It was really cool to enter SV&B through that entrance (and I think it was the main entrance). I said this in a post once before, but it was strange that escalators only went to the fourth floor...you either had to take the elevator or use the stairs the rest of the way up!! Seemed so aniquated. Nontheless, it was a very cool large department store.

Sheesh...here I go again reminiscing and getting off topic...sorry!!

No apologies necessary...I always enjoy reading your posts.

I've always been fascinated with department stores, and I hate that there are so few downtown stores these days. I missed out on SV&B, and I only have a few memories of SB&F, so that's why I'm pleased to see the improvements Macy's is making to the original Famous-Barr store.

It's great to know more about the history of these places. Hopefully the new City Grocers will have some traces of the old SV&B store inside, although I'm sure it's probably unlikely since the building's ground level retail space had been subdivided for many years.

Now that we've brought up the ghosts of downtown's retail past, I'll try to tie that in with the original thread topic: Does anyone know anything about some of the tenants in the Arcade Building? I remember being inside the place at one point (I'm guessing it was the late 1970s or early 1980s), but I cannot recall specific businesses located inside. At any rate, it will be great to have some small retailers in this space again.

steve · PostApr 12, 2007#1002007-04-12T02:36+00:00

Well, I do know that there was a Cardinals ticket office inside. I'm pretty sure it was the only place to buy tickets--but I'm pretty sure that's Sportsman's Park days.

Arcade-Wright Building - 800 Olive Street

Choose Display Mode