Freshly boarded windows on the Armory

WebDevDan · PostSep 19, 2013#12013-09-19T19:09+00:00

Was driving back to the office from lunch on 64EB the other day and saw some trucks in front of (behind?) the armory (the side facing 64). Looks like they installed a bunch of tan-painted plywood boards around the lower level.

It's really disappointing to see such a majestic building rotting away like that. Are there any plans to do anything with it?

roger wyoming II · PostSep 19, 2013#22013-09-19T19:34+00:00

^ I have no idea, but check out this story from yesterday's Times about the restored Park Avenue Armory:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/19/arts/ ... d=all&_r=0

chaifetz10 · PostSep 19, 2013#32013-09-19T20:29+00:00

I know that as of a few years ago, it was still used by some private organizations for indoor sports. (I dated a girl on the SLU women's lacrosse team who had a few practices inside it; and this was in 2010). With the upcoming PACE and possible IKEA developments, maybe a developer will see the area in a different light? I'm just glad SLU hasn't bought it and tore it down for parking or a grass lot!

DogtownBnR · PostJan 11, 2016#42016-01-11T15:24+00:00

I always thought SLU could use the Armory for a practice athletic facility for either collegiate sports, intramural sports or as a general rec facility for the students. It is a bit disconnected from the campus, but still close enough to consider.

Is it for sale? If not, has the owner discussed potential uses, tenants, etc? Wonder what the asking price would be?

I've never been in it. Is it large enough to house an ice rink? That would be an awesome building to house a rink. Right now, I believe City hockey players go to surrounding County clubs. This would be a cool place to house a City hockey club, if a rink can fit.

PS_ Thought I'd move the Armory discussion out of the Federal Mogul thread.

mjbais1489 · PostJan 11, 2016#52016-01-11T15:33+00:00

DogtownBnR wrote:I always thought SLU could use the Armory for a practice athletic facility for either collegiate sports, intramural sports or as a general rec facility for the students. It is a bit disconnected from the campus, but still close enough to consider.

Is it for sale? If not, has the owner discussed potential uses, tenants, etc? Wonder what the asking price would be?

I've never been in it. Is it large enough to house an ice rink? That would be an awesome building to house a rink. Right now, I believe City hockey players go to surrounding County clubs. This would be a cool place to house a City hockey club, if a rink can fit.

PS_ Thought I'd move the Armory discussion out of the Federal Mogul thread.

My dream has always been to get rich and sponsor the creation of SLU hockey as a D1 Sport, with the Armory as the building. So if I win the lottery on Wednesday you'll see some movement on this.

DogtownBnR · PostJan 11, 2016#62016-01-11T16:30+00:00

^ I would LOVE to see D1 hockey at SLU, but I think they would likely play in the Chaifetz Arena. I do like your idea and would fully support you using your winnings for this project!

jstriebel · PostJan 11, 2016#72016-01-11T18:28+00:00

I've wondered if the rehabilitation of the Federal Mogul site could EVENTUALLY bleed over to a place like the Armory. The more that area becomes desirable and not just old buildings by a double decker highway, the more likely it is to see restored. Or at least that's the way I look at it.

STLEnginerd · PostJan 11, 2016#82016-01-11T23:43+00:00

I have been thinking that moving the Fair St. Louis organization (Veiled Prophet) from its current facility into the Old Armory could be a boon for some developer.

Currently Fair St. Louis owns the industrial looking building just east of the current Federal Mogul which could easily be incorporated into the overall site planning of "Midtown Station" redevelopment. In a perfect world Fair St. Louis gets the Old Armory with increased square footage and their current building is demolished in favor of more dense development.

It'd be a complex land deal for sure, and I'm not sure how the land values stack up to each other, and the added renovation and maintenance cost of the Armory might be prohibitive for the organization. BUT if i was King Louis, it would be so.

dredger · PostJan 12, 2016#92016-01-12T00:13+00:00

^ How about a SLU/Blues practice joint facility with some dollars from the city for x hours of public use per week, or x hours per year for tournaments or something along that lines. Doesn't even have to be a joint facility. SLU can offer x year lease to Blues to get things kick started and keep the water frozen. Say a 5 year lease with Blues. Blues can move on or stay if they desire. SLU can move their games to the Chaifetz arena after a couple of years of building a program and in the end SLU/City ends up with a decent practice/indoor ice facility.

As far as Div 1, that is a long road for SLU. One of my best St. Louis hockey memories is going to the 2007 Frozen Four with my dad @ the Scottrade Center to watch UND - Fighting Sioux play Boston College.

roger wyoming II · PostJan 12, 2016#102016-01-12T00:15+00:00

jstriebel wrote:I've wondered if the rehabilitation of the Federal Mogul site could EVENTUALLY bleed over to a place like the Armory. The more that area becomes desirable and not just old buildings by a double decker highway, the more likely it is to see restored. Or at least that's the way I look at it.

Definitely there is potential... we're really only getting started in the core, and good things will be coming to old buildings throughout.

PostJan 17, 2016#112016-01-17T17:46+00:00

Check out this planned $38M indoor sports facility in a Cincy abandoned industrial space:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/n ... start.html

With all the activity and momentum around the area I really think something like this could work at a place like the Armory.

beer city · PostJan 17, 2016#122016-01-17T21:36+00:00

roger wyoming II wrote:Check out this planned $38M indoor sports facility in a Cincy abandoned industrial space:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/n ... start.html

With all the activity and momentum around the area I really think something like this could work at a place like the Armory.

That looks like a tear down not a redevelopment

New York has re-purposed a couple of armories - An arts complex and massive ice rink center respectively

http://www.armoryonpark.org/about_us

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bro ... -1.1977160

Get the Y involved and partner with SLU for a giant athletic complex and community center, and reopen Spring Ave. for access

roger wyoming II · PostJan 18, 2016#132016-01-18T03:50+00:00

^ It's a bit unclear from body of the article but the photo caption said it would retain the industrial character. Anyway, hopefully something cool will come.

chaifetz10 · PostMar 11, 2016#142016-03-11T20:34+00:00

First posted on UrbanSTL by Framer in the Federal Mogul thread:

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but Green Street is planning a redevelopment of the old Armory Building:

http://www.stlouiscnr.com/features/arti ... dium=email

PostMar 12, 2016#152016-03-12T16:10+00:00

Link so some really good interior pics of the Armory: http://www.sublunar.info/armory.html#thumb

dredger · PostMar 13, 2016#162016-03-13T00:22+00:00

I still think it would be a really cool indoor rink facility for SLU/Blues practice facility.

But I wonder if Lawrence Group is thinking a structure within a structure for office and work space. You could probably build out three levels easily and as someone else noted you could flood the place with natural light by reworking the roof.

kbshapiro · PostMar 13, 2016#172016-03-13T13:35+00:00

^^^Armory is a Green Street project, not Lawrence Group

CarexCurator · PostMar 13, 2016#182016-03-13T15:44+00:00

Those images are amazing, and it could certainly be used for all sorts of generic indoor sports, roadshows, or exhibits. Maybe a "bumper bar" where people get drunk and ride around in bumper cars. Is it big enough for roller derby?

dredger · PostMar 13, 2016#192016-03-13T16:24+00:00

Thanks for the correction KB. Any thoughts on what they would put in there? I don't see Green Streets pursuing a private sport facility and space not really suitable for residential at least in my opinion. But who knows.

kbshapiro · PostMar 14, 2016#202016-03-14T00:57+00:00

That building is amazing and well located. I'd love to see something athletics related like the GoodSports complex that didn't happen in Chesterfield. These complexes that can house indoor competitions for basketball, volleyball, tennis, soccer, field hockey, gymnastics and so on can be very profitable and bring a ton of people to the area with hotels and restaurants benefiting the most.

CarexCurator · PostMar 15, 2016#212016-03-15T19:29+00:00

I just heard on "Nothing Impossible" that the St. Louis Swap Meet is looking for a year-round location and that they'd like to serve as an incubator for small retailers. I'm pretty sure that's what the end of the trestle development is hoping to do too. The big floor in the middle of the armory could probably support a fair number of tables for that year-round swap meet.

It could be like co-working for small retail shops. They could pay more to get an indoor table or they could go it alone along the greenway.

This isn't even a rumor. It is just wishful thinking on my part.

chaifetz10 · PostMar 15, 2016#222016-03-15T19:52+00:00

Continued speculation discussion:

Keep in mind that the Armory is not currently connected with the Federal Mogul site and the trestle over Vandeventer does not help connect the Armory to that development. Any pedestrian access would have to come by a new walkway through the 64 double decked structure (such as the old Spring Ave road did) or a MUCH greater roadway/sidewalk would need to be built from the Grand Metro Station and on Market St. (the stretch that runs from Vandeventer along 64 down to Prospect).

Also, Ameren has a MASSIVE substation just to the South of the Armory. It's not exactly easy on the eyes either. Finally, It's a transportation nightmare to get there by foot, bike, car, or any other transportation method you might use.

CarexCurator · PostMar 15, 2016#232016-03-15T20:16+00:00

The GRG midtown bike map shows a connection from the trestle to the Grand station. That probably has to cross at Spring. Walking to the armory from the metro station is pretty easy, ameren substation or no. They wouldn't put it on their map if it wasn't on the books to some degree.

Putting a footbridge through the highway at Spring (preferably in a sound blocking tunnel) isn't nearly as expensive as a full road. There's enough air there for pedestrians above and trucks below, but your market idea is interesting too. You could probably add a little access ramp to the trestle at Vandeventer to go under the highway towards market. There's a little path there.

I'm not saying the armory needs to be the swap meet. The federal mogul site's plan for small retail bays is practically a swap meet already. I'm just saying the similarity between the Federal Mogul plan, the stl Swap Meet's needs, and the huge space at the Armory is an interesting coincidence. On top of that there's the warehouse of stuff!

Even ignoring the Federal Mogul site: armory swap meet + warehouse of stuff + goodwill outlet + transit =

Imagine this at the Grand station.

quincunx · PostJul 01, 2016#242016-07-01T23:29+00:00

Time to Enlist the Blues in Renovation of the Armory

https://nextstl.com/2016/06/time-enlist ... on-armory/

Green Street Pursues Redevelopment of The Armory, Acquires 500 Prospect

https://nextstl.com/2016/06/green-stree ... nt-armory/

PD - Entertainment 'destination' planned for old St. Louis Armory

The company already has purchased an adjacent 4-acre property on which it plans to build a parking garage for 750 to 1,000 vehicles. The garage's design is preliminary but it will go up just west of the Grand MetroLink station. Green Street intends the garage as the base of a midrise building adjacent to South Grand Boulevard.

http://m.stltoday.com/business/local/en ... ee09b.html

STLrainbow · PostJul 02, 2016#252016-07-02T03:37+00:00

^ if Lawrence Group and Cortex gets East of Cortex done and Green Street the Armory District, holy cannoli!