urbanSTL

rbeedee wrote:For the time being, yes. They basically have no firm plans that they have presented yet. They are still considering doing the hotel, but also considering redeveloping the properties, and considering waiting a bit more before deciding, and considering doing some more considering, and considering not considering...

Basically until someone else comes in with a competing proposal and some money, everything is in a holding pattern. I think the most realistic thing is redeveloping the buildings and renting them out, but allegedly at least some of them are terrible inside, and there are more attractive rehab jobs still waiting to be done throughout the neighborhood. The hotel proposal would be cool, but figuring out a reasonable access plan to the site has always been the big obstacle. I have also heard that some of the Drurys are not enthusiastic about the project, so it's not much a priority for the company. Who knows, though, things can change fast if everyone decides to commit.

How can someone come in with a competing proposal? Doesn't Drury own the properties already?

^ I see them losing out on a market with indecisiveness as CORTEX will move and maybe the Koplar/Koman/Clayco group.

I really wonder if it simply comes down to half the family wants to continue with the bread and butter business of building of their signature freeway/interstate hotels like you saw in Brentwood and believe the one coming to Streets of St Charles and the other half want to build more unique site specific hotels catering to the medical center or developing Laclede's landing with possible residential component. In the meantime, the half of the family has convinced the other half to at least secure sites, landbank but no consensus on the real money of actually building.

^ I assumed Drury's landing hotel, development would include a shuffling of their current hotels but doing a conversion of existing downtown hotel makes a lot of sense. Keeps them from over exposing on room count but offer something new to the downtown market. Also assume that Drury is seeing how CVC expansion, upgrades play out.

Kinda frustrating to hear they are pulling triggers in downtown Cleveland and Indy but not St. Louis City. New 17 story on the landing would be nice to see. At the same time I can't see why CWE/CORTEX can't support a fair size hotel proposal with some meeting, conference space. Just surprised that something has not been announced yet.

roger wyoming II wrote:with two hotels already downtown I'm not sure they'd open a third

Really they've got four hotels Downtown. Two in Downtown proper and two in Downtown West. So, it's crazy to think they'd add a fifth to that line-up.

CWE or Cortex definitely seem like a good bet though, even with the nearby Home2Suites opening within the last year.

^ Wabash, can see your point on downtown but also think RW brings up an interesting scenario. I think the convention hotel is viable for conversion to residential and maybe their hotel next to Union Station but not sure. In other words, Drury can build a signature downtown hotel/residential on the Landing and replace existing downtown rooms with residential in a market that is +90% leased if not mistaken.

^ I hear you. It's a nice idea, but I just don't see it happening.

Fortunately, Drury built their signature hotel - The Drury Plaza - Downtown in the late '90s and did St. Louis a great service in the process:

http://www.builtstlouis.net/furexchange01.html

https://druryhotels.com/content/histori ... louis-arch

stlien wrote:How can someone come in with a competing proposal? Doesn't Drury own the properties already?

chaifetz10 wrote:Pretty sure he means a proposal for the are. Something near by that would cause a potential competition for them. Perhaps a Cortex hotel or future hotel near BJC campus would force them to move on this project a bit faster.

Yes, I think the rumored hotel in Cortex might take some wind out of the sails of the FPSE Drury project, as I suspect the Hilton Home2Suites also did. If the Drurys are fully behind the FPSE project I think it could still be successful. I just think that it's much more complex site and plan than a hotel on a high profile corner lot in Cortex easily served by existing roads, so it doesn't take much for it to keep getting pushed down their priority list. The hotel market in this area could be saturated by others before they pull the trigger.

The Drurys own all the residential buildings on the site plan (plus some others scattered on 4500 Arco and Gibson that have been sitting vacant), but I believe there is some vacant land owned by either the city or MoDOT freed up by the new I-64 interchanges that would be required for their plan (if anyone knows otherwise, please correct me). If an alternative feasible proposal is developed for that land, it could jeopardize or kill the Drury proposal.

^ I recall the vacant land freed up with the new interchange was put up for sale by MoDOT as part of a group of odd properties considered excess in the metro area. Believe Drury's bought it if not mistaken but pretty sure it is no longer in MoDOT's nor the City's possession.

The area looks like a desolated wasteland. I guess that's why it seems to be the target of all the graffiti, brick stealing, and trash dumping. When the Drury's announced their intention to build a hotel, I thought it was fantastic. But if they are going to let this site sit and fester for 10 more years while they make up their minds, then something has to change. There are a lot of people on the 4500 blocks of Arco and Oakland that are tired of the trash, vandalism and lack of ownership.
A couple months back, I was talking to the workmen that were painting the boarded up windows the color red @ 4561 Oakland (this is one of the bldgs that was bought by Drury's) . They said there was a new city ordinance for boarded up windows on abandoned bldgs to be painted red. Never heard of that but I don't follow city ordinances. The question they had, why aren't the rest of the seven abandoned bldgs boarded up window being painted red? The consensus was Drury's are saving this six family and tearing down the other abandoned bldgs. Once again, I'm glad the Drury's want to developed this area for their hotel but this indecision is hurting the FPSE neighborhood.

swebb wrote:They said there was a new city ordinance for boarded up windows on abandoned bldgs to be painted red. Never heard of that but I don't follow city ordinances.

That is correct, but it's not a new ordinance.

I've always wondered what was going on with that. Sad that Drury has been sitting on it this long. Even Hilton managed to build that smaller hotel just north of there in no time.

^And based on the number of cars parked on their lot, the Hilton seems to be doing good business.

Demo request deferred per the updated Preservation Board agenda.

The Preservation Board agenda's table of contents list 4571 Oakland for demolition but page nine of the agenda report is only about 1092-94 S. Kingshighway. Is this just a typo or are they trying to demolish two for the price of one?
-The news from Park Central Development today on the new street closure @ Kingshighway and Oakland. It looks great. Odd timing but maybe this will kick start something.
-The rash of brick stealing and large graffiti have only happened in the last six months. Is this just a coincidence? Trash has always been there.
-Why the hardball from The Cultural Resources Office on tearing down these bldgs? They were decrepit looking back in 1976 and have gone down hill since. I'm hoping this a bargaining ploy to force Drury to develop this area first while they get their ducks in a row for their hotel.

^ good.

swebb wrote:The Preservation Board agenda's table of contents list 4571 Oakland for demolition but page nine of the agenda report is only about 1092-94 S. Kingshighway. Is this just a typo or are they trying to demolish two for the price of one?
-The news from Park Central Development today on the new street closure @ Kingshighway and Oakland. It looks great. Odd timing but maybe this will kick start something.
-The rash of brick stealing and large graffiti have only happened in the last six months. Is this just a coincidence? Trash has always been there.
-Why the hardball from The Cultural Resources Office on tearing down these bldgs? They were decrepit looking back in 1976 and have gone down hill since. I'm hoping this a bargaining ploy to force Drury to develop this area first while they get their ducks in a row for their hotel.

The street closure of Oakland and Kinghighway has been there for years. The reason cited for the closure was drive through drug dealing. Convenient access from the highway.

Litter is a big problem there. Drivers litter and pass by, and there's no one occupying them to clean up their mess.

Two large trees behind the abandoned buildings facing Kingshighway were cut down today. Hopefully the
Drury inn developement is starting.

It would be nice to see this project built but I see it being downsized big time and moved to another section in Central West End


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apartments would be a better choice there at this point

Over the last couple of weeks, blankets and personal belongings have been strewn about on the back porches of the northern most apartments along Kingshighway @Oakland. Now someone has pitched a tent in the back. What little I hear about those apartments is the Drury plan is dead and they are trying to save those apartments. Are these squatters or investors?

Is drury plan out or can they propose?



Request for Qualifications Issued in Forest Park Southeast

Forest West Properties has issued a Request for Qualifications for development entities to redevelop an FWP-owned property at the intersection Kingshighway and I-64. Development teams may propose any combination of land uses that are consistent with the standards and priorities articulated in the Forest Park Southeast Neighborhood Plan and Form Based District. More information, including a site survey and review of the selection process, will be made available to development teams who submit a letter of intent to the project manager, Luke Henson. For more detail, please refer to the RFQ.

http://wumcrc.com/request-for-proposals ... southeast/