Scottish Rite Cathedral

moorlander · PostOct 08, 2012#12012-10-08T20:15+00:00

I see that the Crystal Method is "headlining" a show at the Scottish Rite Cathedral on October 20th. Rumor has it Scottish Rite is looking to become a concert venue. Anyone ever been to a show here or have any further insight?

http://www.scottishrite-stl.org/

RuskiSTL · PostOct 10, 2012#22012-10-10T18:50+00:00

wow seriously wish i was in town for this one. i've long daydreamed that the scottish rite could be like the rave in milwaukee, such a sick huge venue

gone corporate · PostOct 16, 2012#32012-10-16T19:57+00:00

Scottish Rites was host to the Mighty Mighty Bosstones way back in 2000 (fark, I'm getting old). There was a festive and excited pit just off the stage. Dicky Barrett made sure to give props to some kid there with a full mohawk, which Dicky said was far too rare a hair style to see these days.

That concert was fresh in my mind when, six years later, I walked for my EMIB/MBA diploma on the same stage...

It's still very multi-purpose, and SLU I believe still very much owns it(EDIT - Nope, my bad). That said, having the Crystal Method (one of my favorite bands, even though their last album royally sucked) play the Scottish Rites will really further the momentum within the place as a multipurpose event space. So long as concert promoters recognize this as a viable space, more acts will show.

Keep hope alive, indeed.

debaliviere · PostOct 17, 2012#42012-10-17T16:10+00:00

gone corporate wrote: It's still very multi-purpose, and SLU I believe still very much owns it.

I'm pretty sure the Scottish Rite still owns and uses the building.

Alex Ihnen · PostOct 17, 2012#52012-10-17T17:20+00:00

debaliviere wrote:
gone corporate wrote: It's still very multi-purpose, and SLU I believe still very much owns it.
I'm pretty sure the Scottish Rite still owns and uses the building.

Yep - owner name registered with the city: SCOTTISH RITE CATHEDRAL ASSN

beer city · PostOct 17, 2012#62012-10-17T17:42+00:00

Yep, Masons still have it, and they have not always had the best relation w/ SLU, but that is probably a thing of the past. Their numbers keep dropping, it willbe interesting to see what happens long term if membership continues to declien.

they have not been the best stewerts of the neighborhood, but they have kept the building up.

matguy70 · PostOct 18, 2012#72012-10-18T23:06+00:00

I just went on a tour of the theatre there. HUGE - it is somewhere in the 2500-3000 range seats.
Huge stage too.

It is completely owned by the Scottish Rite.

chriss752 · PostSep 06, 2020#82020-09-06T21:00+00:00

This is for sale. Price not disclosed.

https://mcusercontent.com/f535767576aa9 ... ochure.pdf

GoHarvOrGoHome · PostSep 07, 2020#92020-09-07T16:23+00:00

Big fan of this venue, remember going there for shows every New Year during "First Night." Was a bit rough around the edges, but with some investment this can easily join the ranks of the cities marquee theaters

symphonicpoet · PostDec 27, 2020#102020-12-27T03:43+00:00

The Organ Channel over on Youtube had a pretty good tour of the organ there, and the last episode in the series included a more general tour of the building and a discussion of Freemasonry and the Scottish Rite in particular. Holy crud they have a bunch of old drops . I hate to think what's likely to happen to them. Those are a treasure in and of themselves, never you mind the site. A piece of theatre history there. But where on earth do you put them if you don't have a hundred foot fly chimney? Anyway . . .

There's a lot of talking about fraternity things, but if you skip around a bit the glimpses are interesting.

chriss752 · PostDec 27, 2020#112020-12-27T05:39+00:00

symphonicpoet wrote: ↑
Dec 27, 2020
The Organ Channel over on Youtube had a pretty good tour of the organ there, and the last episode in the series included a more general tour of the building and a discussion of Freemasonry and the Scottish Rite in particular. Holy crud they have a bunch of old drops . I hate to think what's likely to happen to them. Those are a treasure in and of themselves, never you mind the site. A piece of theatre history there. But where on earth do you put them if you don't have a hundred foot fly chimney? Anyway . . .

There's a lot of talking about fraternity things, but if you skip around a bit the glimpses are interesting.

This video shows off some more of the interior spaces

symphonicpoet · PostDec 27, 2020#122020-12-27T08:11+00:00

^Different buildings. Also a great building, but a different building.

chriss752 · PostDec 27, 2020#132020-12-27T08:13+00:00

symphonicpoet wrote:^Different buildings. Also a great building, but a different building.

Oh. Whoops. Sorry. I’m half asleep and thought it was the same

moorlander · PostDec 27, 2020#142020-12-27T21:05+00:00

SLU needs to buy this building.

imran · PostDec 28, 2020#152020-12-28T00:52+00:00

moorlander wrote: ↑
Dec 27, 2020
SLU needs to buy this building.

And demolish something next door to it for parking or a swath of grass.

symphonicpoet · PostDec 28, 2020#162020-12-28T07:33+00:00

^I sincerely hope someone with vision and an understanding of performing arts buys that building. And please, god, save the drops. (And whatever other vintage sets and props they likely have squirrelled around the building. The idea of masonic theatre frightens me a tad, but . . . Mozart was a mason. It might be okay. Maybe.)

urbanitas · PostFeb 05, 2021#172021-02-05T00:49+00:00

I did not realize that Scottish Rite owned that entire surface parking lot to the west of their garage as well. So they own everything on the south side of Olive between Grand and Spring except for the Jesuit Hall parking lot on the corner.

The lot is listed here, separately from the Cathedral and parking garage. The listing was just updated and still says "available".

wabash · PostFeb 05, 2021#182021-02-05T01:21+00:00

One of the very best non-SLU owned development sites in Midtown. 2 blocks from the absolute center of campus; Pulitzer project going in across the street; 4 blocks from the Foundry; Moolah, Fox, Pulitzer Foundation, Sheldon all around the corner.

Would make for a great home to a West Pine Lofts type development.

chriss752 · PostFeb 05, 2021#192021-02-05T01:35+00:00

wabash wrote: ↑
Feb 05, 2021
One of the very best non-SLU owned development sites in Midtown. 2 blocks from the absolute center of campus; Pulitzer project going in across the street; 4 blocks from the Foundry; Moolah, Fox, Pulitzer Foundation, Sheldon all around the corner.

Would make for a great home to a West Pine Lofts type development.

I've heard a rumor that the parking lot to the West of the parking garage has sold or is under contract by a developer who has the intention of developing a 4 or 5 floor apartment building. That rumor is a few months old right now, but it could still be in the works. The rumor included the claim that Pulitzer wanted to be involved with the design to tie Continental Life, UMSL/Public Radio Building, and On Olive all together in terms of interesting architecture.

urbanitas · PostFeb 05, 2021#202021-02-05T01:37+00:00

^^$2.3 million an acre doesn't seem like it would be a huge stretch for SLU, given the prime location.

framer · PostFeb 05, 2021#212021-02-05T01:43+00:00

I'd love to see Emily and the Pulitzer Foundation take the role of the Cummins Foundation in Columbus, Indiana, and encourage the use of top-name architects for local projects.

urbanitas · PostFeb 05, 2021#222021-02-05T02:37+00:00

The redevelopment of the Scottish Rite parking lot for a mid-rise apartment project could work very well in combination with the Masonic Temple residential conversion across the alley:

It is relatively easy to build parking into a new mid-rise residential building
All the trendy new apartment projects have lots and lots of space for amenities, which is much more difficult and expensive to accommodate
The Masonic Temple, however, has copious amounts of largely useless interior space, much of which they currently intend to use - very inefficiently - for parking

It's a perfect match, just needs a skywalk or something...well, and a developer with very deep pockets.

framer · PostNov 12, 2024#232024-11-12T14:05+00:00

Nice article, great pics, interesting project:

https://www.stlmag.com/design/masonic-t ... mGVUuoR-Mg

DogtownBnR · PostNov 12, 2024#242024-11-12T16:15+00:00

framer wrote: ↑
Nov 12, 2024
Nice article, great pics, interesting project:

https://www.stlmag.com/design/masonic-t ... mGVUuoR-Mg

Beautiful project!

Forever_Lou · PostNov 12, 2024#252024-11-12T20:15+00:00

While it's awesome that Hayden never requests tax incentives, his apartment designs have always puzzled me. His infatuation with cherry wood cabinets in all of his apartments seems bizarre, and dated looking. I know I'm probably being a little too nit-picky, but his building just come off a little cheap looking to me. But it's obviously better than the alternative of letting these buildings sit vacant, or possibly be demoed.