urbanSTL

Would be a fair point that West Downtown has been pretty much put in a state of suspension or better way, put in the hands of McKee as per the Northside Proposal. Unfortunately, I think McKee's plan for his part of West Downtown or I would consider integral to West Downtown with a tower anchoring the west end of Gateway is the best and least controversial part of Northside.

^ I think you see what I'm saying - Lack of a new 22nd street interchange and respective blvd/street is a hindrance/negatively impacting west downtown or you could say holding back development. I think this is a good TIGER Grant app to put forward if done right or part of a broader central corridor access plan if MoDOT, City and GRG would commit matching funds.

In the meantime, still hope full that one day the top dog at Wells Fargo Securities decides that he wants his office overlooking the Gateway Mall with a clear shot at the Arch from the 30th something floor. By that time McKee will most likely have imploded and the city will be looking for a new partner. Their is already a hole dug for the underground parking garage where the existing shortened parkway exists. Not as nice as the trench on the other end of the Gateway Mall but in this case MoDOT is more then willing to give ground back to the city.

WF isn't going anywhere. Just upgraded offices and other aspects to the campus.

The annual meeting was held in Clayton. Most probably didn't enter the city.

It will retain Asynchrony’s downtown St. Louis space at 900 Spruce Street, and it’s looking for new space to add employees downtown. Interesting news !
http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... 75f8a.html

This weeks Biz Journals might be county centric on its stories, but you get the impression that downtown is not even becoming a second thought for the region's businesses. It also has article on the insurer's move out of the city and continued development of Chesterfield Valley including the Blue Valley development progress

http://urbanstl.com/forum/posting.php?m ... =25&t=9800

Hate so see what the numbers for downtown will be when ATT one center lease is up. Which gets me to another thought. What the city be better of giving hard cold cash for office footage such as Railway exchange, Old Muni Courts development, so on? I'm starting to think that hard cold cash as KC did for Cordish on light tower one and pending two migh have worked for KC. However, the city might reconsider that as option to get some office space back in the lease column.

dredger wrote:This weeks Biz Journals might be county centric on its stories, but you get the impression that downtown is not even becoming a second thought for the region's businesses. It also has article on the insurer's move out of the city and continued development of Chesterfield Valley including the Blue Valley development progress

http://urbanstl.com/forum/posting.php?m ... =25&t=9800

Hate so see what the numbers for downtown will be when ATT one center lease is up. Which gets me to another thought. What the city be better of giving hard cold cash for office footage such as Railway exchange, Old Muni Courts development, so on? I'm starting to think that hard cold cash as KC did for Cordish on light tower one and pending two migh have worked for KC. However, the city might reconsider that as option to get some office space back in the lease column.

City need to go after companies out side of the region seems like like companies in the region don't have any interest downtown. But Bull Moose or what ever it is called just moved to grand canter. So is CWE and cortex is becoming the new downtown?

^ Believe its more of the central corridor as a whole becoming stronger and yes, at expense of downtown in some respects. Especially if Wexford/Cortex start building out lab and office space in six figure square footage range. But I think the central corridor is beneficial as a whole to both City and County. I would also think it would be better if any new spec office footage in county is Montgomery's Tower in Clayton CBD (already written off WWT). At least it keeps building going on one end of the corridor and offers viable transit option for those who might want to live within the corridor, whether that be downtown, CWE or Clayton.

I think Charter picking Northwest Plaza for a large call center speaks to how difficult it is to convince the locals to consider alternatives downtown even with its central location and transit access. 1,000 person call center would fit well in a Railway Exchange redevelopment but now you are also getting into areas of business development that takes us to arguments about 1% earnings tax and $15 minimum wage. Call center might not be great jobs but they are jobs.

As you noted, I really think it comes down to relocations from outside of the region is best chance for a major impact or change in downtown's vacancy rate at this point

I see the CWE becoming attractive to office development. The Koplar project at Kingshighway/Lindell, for example, could easily go mixed-use with a large office component.

^ Agree, especially with Koplar bringing Koman and Clayco on board if not mistaken. I wouldn't be surprised a bit if you see an office component with an anchor tenant discussions already quietly in the works.

I also think any ground that can be broken on US Metals site even if it takes NMTC would be a big plus. Downtown might have to wait but the city should take any office and therefore jobs development it can get.

I believe CWE/Midtown has the strongest occupancy rate of the various regional office markets and I wouldn't doubt more new construction ahead. After seeing Pace have such a disappointing Midtown Station plan, I wish they'd take a look at alternatives to retail including office/hotel.

As for downtown, it seems like our biggest newcomers recently have been from Illinois. Landshire and Think Tank Ninjas to the Landing and I believe an accounting firm opening up an STL office in the Equitable Building.

LockerDome is moving, looking for about 15,000 sq feet. staying downtown.

^
Gabe Lozano tweeted that 505 Washington is one of the options they're considering. That would be awesome.

Wherever they go I hope it's on Wash Ave but not on a street level spot. Street level retail spots should be for shops, bars, restaurants. There shouldnt be companies located in them. Their current location saps energy out of that stretch of Washington.

If they take 505, that could make the empty MAC lot across the street more attractive to development.

roger wyoming II wrote:^ It would be awesome to get first floor retail and the top two floors filled with tech/creative companies.... it is a great location with mid-modern design and open floor-plates to boot. A full floor there might be more than what locker dome would need for now but it would allow them to grow and the leasing rates appear quite low at around $10 a sq. ft.

And along with more in neighboring 555 Washington, where Industrious just opened, you can have another node of tech/start-up density.

Right - they could take the top floor and then get right of first refusal for the rest of the space. I could see them getting good signage on the ground floor and possibly even on the roof (if the city allows).

Metro's old building on the Landing might work too. It could be cool to see that building redeveloped as a mix of office space and apartments. I also wonder if LockerDome could get into 720 Olive before the apartment build-out is complete. That would certainly put them right in the heart of downtown.

This is why it's time for the city to in act now on a new commercial office building companies will begin to go else where and that's starting to show. Waiting hasn't gotten downtown anywhere i am believer if you build it they will come. Todays Business's are always looking for new high tech space whether thats historic or new but in the cities case it's time to build something new. 1989 is a long time.

Note: the reason NW Mutual moved is to be closer to clients. This is why we need more people living downtown.