urbanSTL

Condo project in Clayton is back on track

By Margaret Gillerman

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

04/07/2008



A plan to transform a vacant lot on both sides of the Clayton-University City border into a $150 million high-rise development is back on track for the 7400 block of Forsyth Boulevard.



The Clayton Plan Commission has recommended approval of a revised plan for the "transit-oriented development," just west and across the street from the MetroLink stop on Forsyth. The Clayton Board of Aldermen is expected to approve the changes Tuesday. University City will hear the proposal April 23.



Jay Case, president of Orchard Development Group of Chicago, the developer, said he hoped to get started on construction as early as June. Case said that financing was lined up for the development, called Trianon.



The property has been a vacant lot for two decades. The plan approved by the Clayton Plan Commission calls for:



— A 26-story brick-and-stone luxury condominium and retail tower, with five levels of above-ground parking and shops at ground level, a lobby floor and up to 20 floors of condominiums.



— A six-story curved building with up to 175 upscale apartments and first-floor retail with glass storefronts on Forsyth. The building would wrap around the property on Forsyth and then south along the Forest Park Parkway.



— Underground parking.



— A public plaza at Forsyth and Carondelet Plaza with outdoor dining, public art and a water feature.

However, one step of the approval process that must still be achieved is approval from University City officials; a small section of the eastern edge of the site is part of University City.



The initial plans went through University City’s review successfully, but the recent changes also have to be approved.



Julie Feier, University City city manager, said the plan commission will look at the issue on May 28; it will be reviewed by the city council on June 23 and could be finalized at a public hearing on July 21.

TB1000 wrote:I like the new design much better. It looks like less of a compound and flows better with the shape of the street. More inviting. Now build it!

Inside, Trianon amenities are already impressing prospective buyers. “Residential units start at the 10th floor, which means every unit is guaranteed a view,” says Reid. “Floor-to-ceiling windows either look east toward downtown St. Louis or west into downtown Clayton.” Other inside appointments include open kitchens with granite countertops, stainless Bosch appliances, gas cooktops and custom cabinetry. Bathrooms offer soaking tubs and frameless glass shower doors. Each residence includes its own private terrace.



The building also offers a host of common space amenities, including private storage, private, above-ground secured parking with elevator access, a terrace area with hot tub, pool and full outdoor kitchen, and an interior club room and state-of-the-art fitness center. “Our architect, DeStefano & Partners out of Chicago, is an expert at creating mixed-use buildings that blend completely with their surroundings,” says Reid. An amazing 60 percent of the building is glass. “The architecture will be a beautiful and distinctive addition to the Clayton skyline. Plus, we anticipate LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.”



On another green note, Trianon is a ‘transit-oriented development,’ a new eco-conscious initiative focused on building within reach of public transportation. “Our building is directly across the street from the Forsyth MetroLink station,” notes Reid.



What she calls the project’s ‘affordable luxury’, units range from one to three bedrooms and prices from $300,000 to more than $1 million, has appealed to a diverse group of buyers. “We believe our price points appeal to discriminating buyers in every price range,” she says, adding that sales at Trianon have been brisk. “We have 50 units already under contract and only a few remain at pre-construction pricing. With the groundbreaking scheduled this year and move-in predicted in 2010, residents have ample time to sell their existing home or finish graduate school,” she says.



A full-scale model, photos of amenities and a drawing of the retail plaza are available at Trianon’s sales center at 7515 Forsyth Blvd., which is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.

Framer wrote:The low-rise building wraps around the curve of Forsythe, right across the street from Wash. U's building (the old Famous Barr). That's Forsythe on the left in the rendering.