The Orchard Development Group just announced plans to purchase the building at 1520 Washington Avenue, which currently houses Gold's Gym. The building will be rehabbed into 180 condo units and renamed the Ely Walker Lofts. Building amenities will include a fitness center, rooftop deck and a business meeting room. Condo prices should range from $150,000 to the low $200,000s.



A restaurant and a national retailer are planned to fill the first floor of the building.



Orchard Development Group was also part of the $20 million historic renovation of the now sold out Terra Cotta Lofts into 99 loft condos (opened February 2003) as well as 75 loft condo units being developed as the Annex Lofts (scheduled to open in June 2005).

Oddly enough, I watched that today.



It's great that they are giving this attention to downtown, but did it feel like one big commercial? And is channel 5 ever on top of things? They make it sound like the loft boom just started. Maybe it is just my extreme distate for channel 5 news coming through. They also made it sound like only out of towners know how to develop lofts. While I often have my gripes with the in town developers, McGowan and Pyramid have done the most for downtown of any developers, and they are STL based.

^ Don't forget Craig Heller and his company LoftWorks. Craig left his job as president of Pyramid Construction to form LoftWorks back in 1998-99.



I caught that also. It did seem like a commercial spot for Orchard Development Group, however it looks like that is just the way KSDK reports these types of stories. I guess it is better than no coverage at all.



There was another report on October 12th of 2004 that was entitled, "<A HREF="http://www.ksdk.com/news/cover_article. ... 68153">The Loft Boom</A>". This piece focused mainly on Pyramid Construction and the Paul Brown Building. They did include comments from Jim Cloar, the president and CEO of the Downtown Saint Louis Partnership as well as comments from Todd Swanstrom, a professor of public policy at St. Louis University.



There was also a small mention in the "<A HREF="http://www.ksdk.com/news/cover_article. ... 68153">The Loft Boom</A>" report that Pyramid Construction had also purchased the Arcade building, but nothing more about the work they have done on any of their other properties downtown.

This is great news.

My most fear is that they will run Golds Gym out and loose a good retail space. That gym is so used with the many residents in the district. Although the newly renovated (and large) YMCA Downtown/Locust is right behind this building too. YMCA has two downtown locations - Marquette (in Marquette Building where condos are now being built and the Y is remaining open during construction.

Are there any pictures of this project?

Whats up with this building ?

worldflyboy wrote:Whats up with this building ?

This was announced today by Mayor Francis Slay via http://www.mayorslay.com



Orchard Group, closely related to the Freed Group of Chicago, is proceeding with plans to rehab the Eli Walker Building. Their plans include a Borders bookstore and a new urban entryway along St. Charles, between 15th and 16th Streets.

Xing wrote:If I'm correct

Yes, that is the building....

My real estate agent told me that Gold's Gym is moving to the second floor of the building. Can anybody confirm?

loftlover wrote:My real estate agent told me that Gold's Gym is moving to the second floor of the building. Can anybody confirm?

From what the owner of Gold's has told me they will have space on the first and second floor.



However, I've also heard from other sources that they are going to be kicked out of the building... just a rumor that I hope isn't true.

According to an employee of the sales office, sales information for the building will be available in October. Construction could then take up to 18 months. From what I hear, Gold's Gym will still be in the building.

I?ve heard that a Schnucks-Metro store is almost a done-deal for the Ely-Walker building. Has anyone else heard anything about this? A Schnucks, Borders and Gold?s Gym would be a great combination for this building.

markinlondon wrote:I?ve heard that a Schnucks-Metro store is almost a done-deal for the Ely-Walker building. Has anyone else heard anything about this? A Schnucks, Borders and Gold?s Gym would be a great combination for this building.

Last I heard was it was questionable if Borders was going to be in the building.

buckethead wrote:

markinlondon wrote:I?ve heard that a Schnucks-Metro store is almost a done-deal for the Ely-Walker building. Has anyone else heard anything about this? A Schnucks, Borders and Gold?s Gym would be a great combination for this building.

Last I heard was it was questionable if Borders was going to be in the building.

As long as we're posting he said, she said, I have heard from two different people, both who work for developers, that Gold's will not be staying and will have to vacate from anywhere in a month to a year. And I was told this just yesterday.

irocktheparty2000 wrote:As long as we're posting he said, she said, I have heard from two different people, both who work for developers, that Gold's will not be staying and will have to vacate from anywhere in a month to a year. And I was told this just yesterday.

Yep, heard the same thing recently too and it makes sense. I'm sure Golds has been paying a very low lease for that space for the last 8 years. But now that that demand for Washington Ave space has gone through the roof and the building has new owners, I would guess the lease is also going up.



I've also been told by people that work at Golds that they have been putting off improvements to the space since they don't know about the business's future in the building.

LATEST NEWS

September 16, 2005



<A HREF="http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stor ... ">Downtown projects get $3 million in state tax credits</A>



The State of Missouri approved a total of more than $3 million in state tax credits for three downtown St. Louis redevelopment projects, said Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt Friday.



The Bee Hat Building, Ely-Walker Building and Southside National Bank projects all received Brownfield redevelopment tax credits, which provide incentives to redevelop publicly owned commercial or industrial sites that were abandoned because of contamination by hazardous substances.



Orchard Development Group III LLC will receive up to $2.1 million tax credits to clean up asbestos, PBC, lead-based paint and pigeon droppings at the Ely-Walker Building at 1520 Washington Ave. That building will be developed into condominiums, a restaurant, retail and parking facilities.



<A HREF="http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stor ... ily76.html">>>> read more</A>



related links:

http://www.elywalkerlofts.com/

http://www.stlouislofts.com/1520washington.html

The display model for the Ely Walker Lofts is opening November 5th. www.elywalkerlofts.com

Since comments about the possibility of a downtown Borders bookstore

as well as a chain grocery no longer pertained to the Ely Walker Lofts

discussion, they have been moved to a new thread in the retail forum

and can be found here: http://www.urbanstl.com/viewtopic.php?t=1511

Just FYI, I was told that St. Charles Street has been petitioned for the last year to become pedestrian only and that the petition was finally granted. I did not get details but assume that they are only talking about making it pedestrian from 15th to 16th streets. That is where Terra Cotta and Red Moon start and where Ely Walker ends. They have plans for a restaurant in Ely Walker and want to connect that to the Red Moon via a pedestrian walk way. Should be a really nice area back there.



Anyone have any additional info on this?

I hope they plan on moving the trash bins.

Wow! I think that a pedestrian only St Charles Street could be the beginnings of a nice little street! Ely Walker might be the ideal location to live. I would love to finally see a true pedestrian=only European style street lined with small unique shops, restaurants and galleries. St. Charles is basically a narrow alley which would be idea for that. I drove by it today after work and there is potential beyond the one block between 15th and 16th. To the west is a very cool building that might make a great club location.

I still say that the building at 15th and Washington could be a great cajun/creole restaurant. Just imagining a blues band belting out music into the street. The front on Wash Ave could serve as a backporch, with the entrance being across from Red Moon.



But this is about Ely Walker...great news about opening it up. I think this could really add to the excitement as Wash Ave continues to push westward. Hopefully they'll get some cool retailers...and Borders (a late night borders) would be awesome.