^Half of the roof is gone and four floors of windows have been removed:
![]()
Not sure how up-to-date these are, but they are from BJC's Campus Renewal website. Massing and a concept for the replacement tower, pretty much what we've already seen.
![]()
![]()
I know most of us have complaints with the design of a lot of the buildings on BJC/WU's campus, but I don't have those complaints about the new Parkview, Children's or Mid-Campus towers. The CAM building, the outpatient building at Euclid and FPA, the towers around Charles Knight (especially) and many others are regrettable, but the newest additions look pretty good in my humble opinion. The different tones in the facade alone are a huge improvement over the previous expansions. And while no hospital will win an award for its street activation, at least these three are built up to the sidewalk with windows and doors outwardly facing, even if they're not necessarily public parts of the hospital. Much better than walking by a wall of vents like the building on the north side of the ER entrance.
![]()
![]()
![]()
I also like that they're incorporating more green roofs like these:
![]()
![]()
![]()
I know most of us have complaints with the design of a lot of the buildings on BJC/WU's campus, but I don't have those complaints about the new Parkview, Children's or Mid-Campus towers. The CAM building, the outpatient building at Euclid and FPA, the towers around Charles Knight (especially) and many others are regrettable, but the newest additions look pretty good in my humble opinion. The different tones in the facade alone are a huge improvement over the previous expansions. And while no hospital will win an award for its street activation, at least these three are built up to the sidewalk with windows and doors outwardly facing, even if they're not necessarily public parts of the hospital. Much better than walking by a wall of vents like the building on the north side of the ER entrance.
I also like that they're incorporating more green roofs like these:
I think those design images of the Queeny Tower replacement are older, especially since a new architect was brought on board. I could be wrong though.
^ That's what I assumed as well. But they're featured on the main campus renewal website and in my opinion I don't think BJC is likely to veer that far away from what they've already built. Even if the architect is new. But I could also be wrong.
Personally a hybrid of the Parkview and Children's towers would be fine by me, though I'm sure it would ruffle a few feathers around here...
Personally a hybrid of the Parkview and Children's towers would be fine by me, though I'm sure it would ruffle a few feathers around here...
Noticed that the Kingshighway street frontage will be a cafeteria. Seems much improved over the parking decks that are there now.
Yes, a ground floor cafeteria along with an outdoor dining patio/common area would be ideal on that corner, but I wouldn't hold your breath. The blank ground floor wall look with elevated/secure green spaces are all the rage these days, especially on the BJC/WUMC campus.dylank wrote: ↑Jun 20, 2021Noticed that the Kingshighway street frontage will be a cafeteria. Seems much improved over the parking decks that are there now.
Mechanical Penthouse is finally gone, but still half the roof left. Not sure why this is taking so long. They haven't even gotten to the difficult stuff yet.I think you're probably right, provided that massing study is current. The Parkview Tower Cafe is located on the first floor, at street level, at Kingshighway and Parkview Place with a nice outdoor patio and seating area.dylank wrote: ↑Jun 20, 2021Noticed that the Kingshighway street frontage will be a cafeteria. Seems much improved over the parking decks that are there now.
Since the other primary cafeteria of the hospital complex (the Plaza Cafe) is located somewhere near the base of Queeny Tower, I wouldn't be surprised to see something similar to the above if the design sketch is up-to-date.
I see they have a glass 'turret' on the south end of the new tower. That makes a nice bookend to the glass turret currently on the north end when viewed from the west looking east. Almost.
They're not exactly placed the same. The Parkvew tower turret sits proud of the fascia along Kingshighway but not Forest Park Parkway, whereas in the the proposed Queeny replacement the turret sits proud on the Barnes Jewish Hospital Plaza sidestreet - the side facing I-64 - but not Kingshighway. And of course the replacement tower will be much taller than the Parkview tower's 12 stories.
Still I appreciate the reference and the attempt at balance.
-RBB
They're not exactly placed the same. The Parkvew tower turret sits proud of the fascia along Kingshighway but not Forest Park Parkway, whereas in the the proposed Queeny replacement the turret sits proud on the Barnes Jewish Hospital Plaza sidestreet - the side facing I-64 - but not Kingshighway. And of course the replacement tower will be much taller than the Parkview tower's 12 stories.
Still I appreciate the reference and the attempt at balance.
-RBB
It looked like they had a pretty good sized crew working late Saturday afternoon with the Queeny tower tear down. Crane going with plenty of workmen and equipment going. Are they on some sort of hard deadline date to have it down?
^ Supposed to be gone by September, not sure if they're still on target though. This month they extended the demolition hours from 6am to 11pm, Monday thru Saturday.
^^ Here is a Kingshighway rendering for reference:
![]()
And another rendering I found online (though as others have noted there are still some questions as to whether or not this is the design they're planning):
![]()
Nice shot of the completed buildings:
![]()
^^ Here is a Kingshighway rendering for reference:
And another rendering I found online (though as others have noted there are still some questions as to whether or not this is the design they're planning):
Nice shot of the completed buildings:
Interesting. I thought maybe they were just trying to beat winter weather.sc4mayor wrote: ↑Jun 21, 2021^ Supposed to be gone by September, not sure if they're still on target though. This month they extended the demolition hours from 6am to 11pm, Monday thru Saturday.
There's a $114.7M building permit application submitted for CIVIL STRUCTURAL-PHASE 3 (PER PLANS)
Queeny Tower demolition photos and drone video here:
WUSM: Facilities Operations Update: Rooftop Rubble on Queeny Tower
June 2021 - All month, demolition contractors chipped away at the Queeny Tower elevator penthouse and the top three floors, creating large piles of rubble that were shoved down empty elevator shafts or lifted to the ground by the crane. Get a bird's eye view of their work
WUSM: Facilities Operations Update: Rooftop Rubble on Queeny Tower
June 2021 - All month, demolition contractors chipped away at the Queeny Tower elevator penthouse and the top three floors, creating large piles of rubble that were shoved down empty elevator shafts or lifted to the ground by the crane. Get a bird's eye view of their work
The pace of the Queeny Tower demo has accelerated quite a bit (probably something to do with the 2 shifts, 6 days a week). It's nearly down to the roof of the Rand Johnson building as of this afternoon:
![]()
The amount changed to $60,811,820 and it was issued.quincunx wrote: ↑Jul 03, 2021There's a $114.7M building permit application submitted for CIVIL STRUCTURAL-PHASE 3 (PER PLANS)
Dismantling almost two floors a week now. Nearly half the tower is gone:
![]()
A tower crane was applied for at the Queeny site starting this fall:
![]()
These dates are most likely not true, I would guess it would start in late fall (if not winter). But the original plan was to have the Queeny demo completed by September...
These dates are most likely not true, I would guess it would start in late fall (if not winter). But the original plan was to have the Queeny demo completed by September...
^Definitely not true, as the work schedule indicates a duration of 7 months, and duration is stated as 18.
At the rate they are going now, the tower and garage will likely be gone by the end of September, but of course they would still have a whole lot of shoring/excavation, underground infrastructure, and foundation work to do before they start erecting the tower crane.
At the rate they are going now, the tower and garage will likely be gone by the end of September, but of course they would still have a whole lot of shoring/excavation, underground infrastructure, and foundation work to do before they start erecting the tower crane.
^ Definitely. I was poking around BJC's Campus Renewal site and came across a couple of time-lapse videos of some older construction. My uneducated guess for the crane going up would be 3-4 months after they get Queeny cleared.
The demo is not that bid a project..it is, however, well past due and the outcome will complete the 2 endpoints of the campus looking east on Kingshighway, as the new endpoint will most likely be the same as the Forest Park and Kingshighway corner...that is all new, and also maybe a new ambulatory entrance or all together new ED . As the Charles Knight entry is gawd awful and the worst spot for patients and ambulances, all pushing into the small off-turn , off super busy Kingshighway! Whoever made this choice we now have had for years should be fired...as there are so many other open spaces for the massive Trauma 1 entrance for Wash U BJC..!!
That reminds me of a story from an old timer construction worker, about a prank on a jerk supervisor...
