How is Don Lipton allowed to just sit on his former Schnucks property?  Is he allowed to just sit on this for 10-20 + years until he can get top dollar?  With all of this talk of eminent domain, I think the City of Clayton should blight this and take it from him.  It's sat for WAY too long, it's ridiculous.  I'm all for property owners rights, but this has gone on for way too long.  I think they should put his name on a sign on the property.  "Don Lipton, Slumlord of St. Louis.  I own this and haven't done anything with it for almost 10 years."

I used to live right around the corner from that building and always wondered why nobody has picked it up and done something positive with it. Since it's a prime piece of real estate I figured the seller was asking too much.

Is this the property that can be seen along Hwy 40?

StL_Dan wrote:Is this the property that can be seen along Hwy 40?

no, its about a mile north of 40 on Hanley.

I went to dinner with a bunch of investors from the east coast a few years ago (they were al in town for graduation ceremonies at wash u) - and when they saw that property they were all guns to buy it. Then they talked to the seller and told me he was aksing an insane ammount of money ...

That would be a great location for a nice midrise mixed use building.

I believe he's asking $12-15 million... I can't believe the city of Clayton allows this to just sit like this. People in these forums complain about derelict landlords on the North Side or wherever; I think he's just as bad. Obviously different situation, no broken windows, etc. But it's an impediment to progress.

Any project built on this site, based on the asking price, would have to be either VERY expensive, or VERY dense.



I have a feeling that the neighbors would be strongly opposed to a high-density development, because of obvious traffic issues at that intersection. Likewise, a lower-density, but higher-priced development may not appeal to those who can afford to live anywhere they choose, because of the traffic "inconvenience".



So while this is a GREAT site, its not an EASY site.

They should never have destroyed the grocery store which was one of our very few more walkable and urban ones.

I think I saw a rendering of something that was once proposed. maybe I didn't.. in any event, it would be VERY easy to incorporate street retail in the base of the building. VERY quality, modern, urban.. Clayton and St. Louis have enough of the "regular" highrises. This building below, with some modifications, and a tower on top could be INCREDIBLE. everyone in the moorlands can still walk to the grocery store.. Clayton is urban, it is NOT too good for this.

Someone explain the term "moorlands" to me?

StL_Dan wrote:Someone explain the term "moorlands" to me?

The Moorlands is a neighborhood in Clayton. I'm not certain of the boundaries, but it's roughly the residential area northwest of Clayton Road & Big Bend Blvd.

StL_Dan wrote:Someone explain the term "moorlands" to me?

There's a "Moorlands" thread just a few items below this one in the St. Louis County section.

The Moorlands is bounded on the west by Westwood, north by Wydown, east by Audubon, south by Clayton

I am tired at looking at this property collecting dust... Anyone know any more info on this....

Don Lipton wants $12 million for it. Until the property is actually worth that much, it will continue to collect dust.

Don Lipton the man who almost destroyed Union Market, it might have become our own version of Pikes Place or Chelsea Market if it wasn't for him. At least Charles Drury had the forsight to save it.!

Don Lipton: Another impediment to progress for St. Louis

southcitygent wrote:Don Lipton the man who almost destroyed Union Market, it might have become our own version of Pikes Place or Chelsea Market if it wasn't for him. At least Charles Drury had the forsight to save it.!

No idea what you're talking about? Anyone got an explanation?

^I don't remember all of the details, but if you didn't know, the Drury Inn just south of the Ed used to be a market, like Soulard Market. It was called Union Market and it was right across the street from the Greyhound station. I remember going there when I was a shortie. It was very cool.



Anyway, Lipton owned it/bought it, and I believe he wanted to tear it down, but the city wouldn't let him. I think he wanted to build a convention headquarters hotel on the site? For a very brief period of time it was a sort of shopping mall, with some retail and restaurants. That didn't last long, and I don't know if Lipton still owned it then or not. It sat mostly vacant for quite a while, with the city trying to buy it several times, until Drury came along. I don't remember if the city ended up taking it by eminent domain or what, but I remember Lipton and his partners were asking an outrageous sum.



That's all I remember, help me out you old fogies...

Well, my memory may not be what it used to be, but I though Lipton was the one who first tried to save Union Market? I could be wrong though.



I do know that many years ago he proposed a twin-tower project on Broadway, where Met Square is now (or maybe St. Louis Place, or both). It would have been about 30 stories, plus a shorter building for, I believe, a hotel. All glass, with stepped-back, multiple barrel-vault roofline. I've got the rendering in my files somewhere.

Here's a little blurb I pulled off of the City's web site:

In 1967, Union Market was renovated and leased to merchants in an attempt to redevelop this historic facility on the north side of downtown. The attempt met with limited success. Today, Union Market has been converted into a Drury Inn, which is located immediately south of the Edward Jones Dome.

I park in this building - very convenient.

Lipton took over the redevelopment of Union Market in the early 80's (I think). He kicked out the existing vendors and tried to renovate it in the style of a festival marketplace. Unfortunately it failed to attract street traffic so Charles Drury built the hotel on top and the market portion was never reopened. Can you imagine what a great asset downtown would have if it had continued in its use as a farmers market, much like Soulard?