The Sovereign - New music venue at 3300 Washington

gone corporate · PostDec 18, 2019#12019-12-18T20:05+00:00

A new concert venue, to be named The Sovereign - An Independent Music Club, will be built in the old Beckley-Ralston Company auto dealership building at 3300 Washington Boulevard, two blocks west of North Compton Avenue.

STL Biz Journal: City Foundry owner plans concert venue for Grand Center (note: paywalled)

The Sovereign is being built by Steve Smith and The Lawrence Group, in partnership with Tim Weber, the managing partner of The Old Rock House (who also was General Manager and Talent Buyer for Mississippi Nights). Also working on this project is Chris Hansen, the Executive Director of the Kranzberg Arts Foundation. With an estimated capacity of 1,200 concertgoers, the Sovereign will seek to "host national touring acts, local and regional bands, as well as corporate events, private parties and weddings."

This rehab transformation is estimated to cost $5MM. It is planned to open in Spring 2021.

framer · PostDec 18, 2019#22019-12-18T20:23+00:00

This place?

flipz · PostDec 18, 2019#32019-12-18T20:24+00:00

That's great. The more music venues the better IMO. Wasn't there a music venue/event space that closed recently on locust?

Tim · PostDec 18, 2019#42019-12-18T22:07+00:00

Very cool! Between this, Bulrush, and the High-Low (as well as other businesses in close vicinity), this block is really starting to show improvement! I'm sure UCBC is quite pleased.

This group appears to own the few adjacent parcels to the west as well, up to SLU's parking lot. I was curious to see what else they might own in the area - see the blue parcels highlighted below. This GIS data is a few months old, so things may have changed slightly, but this is still pretty interesting.

PostDec 18, 2019#52019-12-18T22:29+00:00

I'm also very glad to see that the Kranzberg Arts Foundation (and not SLU) owns the last remaining undeveloped building at the end of the block (3329-3337 Washington). It's a handsome looking building as well with about 150 feet of street frontage. That bodes well for this stretch.

framer · PostDec 19, 2019#62019-12-19T04:40+00:00

Not too much info here, but here's a blurb from the Riverfront Times:

https://www.riverfronttimes.com/musicbl ... Q.facebook

Tim · PostDec 19, 2019#72019-12-19T19:22+00:00

As with almost all of these NRHP-buildings, the registration form includes some interesting history, diagrams, and photos (both historical and modern) of the building interior and exterior. It is definitely a sizable space.

https://dnr.mo.gov/shpo/nps-nr/15000197.pdf

On a related note, the approximately 500-space punk/rock/metal concert venue - Fubar - which is located at 3108 Locust, is moving a few spaces down to 3040 Locust early next year, in what looks to be a similarly sized space as The Sovereign. Although these two venues will appear to provide similar capacity, hopefully they can compliment each other as opposed to the contrary.

STLinCHI · PostDec 20, 2019#82019-12-20T03:04+00:00

Finally a place to replace Mississippi Nights from a capacity standpoint. Hits the sweet spot between Delmar Hall and The Pageant. Many shows have passed STL due to a lack of such a venue. With a mezzanine level ready to go this place is just perfect as a concert venue. Bravo!

rheights · PostJul 22, 2021#92021-07-22T20:02+00:00

Is this dead?

chriss752 · PostJun 14, 2022#102022-06-14T04:19+00:00

Venue is now bidding on the SLDC Planroom.
https://www.sldcplanroom.com/jobs/3769/ ... -sovereign

Tim · PostJun 14, 2022#112022-06-14T17:01+00:00

Glad to hear it.

Any ideas regarding what Kranzberg is up to next door at 3318?

symphonicpoet · PostJun 15, 2022#122022-06-15T00:01+00:00

Looks like a simple and solid plan. Best of luck to them.

quincunx · PostJun 25, 2022#132022-06-25T13:47+00:00

$2M building permit application submitted for 3306 Washington.

airforceguy1 · PostOct 13, 2022#142022-10-13T20:21+00:00

A new concert venue is planned for 3300 Washington Ave
Plans for a new St. Louis concert venue are moving forward

A new Grand Center concert venue proposed by the developer behind City Foundry and the operator of the Old Rock House is moving ahead after a delay of several years.
Developers are in the process of seeking city approvals for the new concert hall, called The Sovereign, that would be built in a historic venue at 3300 Washington Blvd.

The venue was originally proposed in 2019 as a collaboration of City Foundry owner and developer Steve Smith, CEO of the Lawrence Group and development firm New + Found, and Old Rock House managing partner Tim Weber.
At the time, the venue was expected to open in 2021.
Instead, work is moving ahead now to rehab the space, a building listed on the National Register of Historic Places that once housed the Beckley-Ralston Co. auto dealership. The project has federal and state historic tax credits, Lawrence Group architect Michael Flynn said Wednesday at a St. Louis Board of Adjustment hearing.

https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2022/10/13/concert-venue-grand-center-foundry-old-rock-house.html?cx_testId=40&cx_testVariant=cx_5&cx_artPos=3#cxrecs_s

rheights · PostJun 27, 2024#152024-06-27T17:44+00:00

Any news on this one? I've seen a few signs of progress over the years but starting to worry.

dbInSouthCity · PostJun 29, 2024#162024-06-29T04:39+00:00

I think it’s moving forward. It’s no longer New and Found but someone else has taken the project over

Tim · PostFeb 06, 2025#172025-02-06T02:06+00:00

Good news. Sounds like construction is starting, with the project to be finished by this fall.
https://www.stlmag.com/culture/music/th ... nd-center/

framer · PostFeb 06, 2025#182025-02-06T14:03+00:00

Hey! That building used to sell REO Speedwagon cars. Wouldn't it be fun to bring REO (the band) back to play a night there? I know, I know; most of you probably have no idea who REO is (was), but they were huge back in the 70s, and named after the old carmaker.

rheights · PostFeb 06, 2025#192025-02-06T14:49+00:00

I'm a millennial and know who REO speedwagaon is.

So glad to hear this is opening up this year! Still feeling the loss of the Ready Room and the bands they brought. Hoping this fills that void.

GoHarvOrGoHome · PostFeb 06, 2025#202025-02-06T14:52+00:00

The Grand Center live music node continues to grow. We just need to fill in some parking lots on Locust and Wash Ave + get a couple more live music focused bars and we have a real destination on our hands.

Also keep in mind Kranzberg is still working on projects for 3221-3225 Olive.

PS I was born in '96 and I Can't Fight This Feeling is one of my go to kareoke songs

quincunx · PostFeb 15, 2025#212025-02-15T18:35+00:00

$3M building permit issued