I noticed last night that there is a backhoe parked in the parking lot. From MayorSlay.com:



The Jefferson and I-44 proposal involves the reconstruction of a handsome mixed use building, the Union Club, that was located on the site before the tornado of 1896 took it away. The new facility will include condos and retail space. An interesting element of the plan is a ?nearly-inked? deal for a new Nelly/sports-themed restaurant concept, with several major St. Louis sports figures as prospective investors. The restaurant concept includes a flat-screen TV at every table, as well as facilities where local amateur sports teams can hold banquets. E&A reps will be reviewing the pro formas over the next 45 days to determine the appropriate amount of the TIF.



On the opposite (northeast) corner, Mary "One" Johnson plans to replace a former gas station with a new office building that will house her real estate and development operations as well as retail and other businesses. After discussion between Mary "One" and members of the TIF Review Committee, Mary "One" will proceed with the development using tax abatement and a below-market-rate-interest loan rather than TIF.

DeBaliviere wrote:The Jefferson and I-44 proposal involves the reconstruction of a handsome mixed use building, the Union Club, that was located on the site before the tornado of 1896 took it away. The new facility will include condos and retail space.

Reconstruction? That sounds pretty interesting.

I noticed that just north of these two sites, it looks like the old furniture store is being renovated. It appears that the paint has been removed from the brick and that a new roof is being built (I guess it was flat, but will now be pitched).

Does anyone have drawings of either the new construction or old photos of the Union Club building?

I noticed on my way in to work this morning that demolition work has begun...

Thanks for the photos, laboubet. I've never seen that building before. Love the wide arched entryway.

New developments planned at Lafayette and Jefferson

Jim Merkel

Of the Suburban Journals

South City Journal

11/23/2005



A new look is coming to two long-vacant street corners at Lafayette and Jefferson avenues.



The southeast corner, now occupied by an empty building once used as an Aldis, will be redeveloped with condominiums, possibly a sports restaurant and other commercial purposes.



The northeast corner, where there is an empty service station and car wash, will be the site of a real estate office.



"It's one of the main entrances to Lafayette Square. It's very visible from I-44," said Barbara Geisman, executive director for development for the mayor's office. It's not very attractive now, she said.



The new developments will be highly visible from I-44 and Jefferson Avenue, Geisman said. "How the neighborhood appears from those two streets is kind of real important to its image."



The former Aldis corner is being developed by Gilded Age, a partnership of Chris Goodson and Trace Shaughnessy.



"It's a highly visible corner that's been vacant for many years and derelict," Goodson said.



"That corner's coming back to life," Goodson said. "Now this is two nice projects that're going to happen."



The partnership has several projects in the Lafayette Square area, including the conversion of the old City Hospital into the Georgian Condominiums.



The partnership plans to erect the Union Club, a replica of a social club at the site which was destroyed by a tornado in 1896. The Union Club was built in 1892 and had 400 members.



The new Union Club will be similar in design to the old Union Club, complete with Romanesque design, turrets, brick and towers.



The new Union Club will be an $11.6 million project, with 39 condominiums on the top three floors and 14,000 square feet of commercial space on the bottom floor. There will be indoor parking on the bottom floor and basement parking.



Talks are underway to put in Jerseyville, a new sports restaurant headed by Yomi Martin, the cousin of Nelly. The restaurant would feature flat screen televisions in booths and sports rooms for Little Leaguers to have private parties.



The deal isn't yet firmed up on Jerseyville, said Alderman Lewis Reed, D-6th Ward, who represents the area.



The restaurant would occupy about 7,500 square feet, Goodson said. The balance would go to other commercial businesses. "We're in talks with several different professional services," Goodson said.



Demolition on the old Aldi's building, constructed in the 1960s, was underway Monday.



The Lawrence Group is the architect and the bank is St. Louis Bank.



The condominiums will be about 1,200 to 1,300 square feet and sell for about $200,000 each.



There may be tax increment financing on the project, but figures aren't firmed up yet, Goodson said.



On the northeast corner of Jefferson and Lafayette, developer and real estate agent Mary "One" Johnson plans to put up a new office building. It will feature her real estate and development company and may have office space available for other businesses.



The closed service station and car wash on the property would be demolished, Reed said.



Johnson couldn't be reached Monday to comment on her plans.



To the northwest, on the old Foodland property, there are plans to put up three buildings with retail on the first floor and condomiums on the upper stories, Reed said. An effort will be made to find a grocery store to go into part of the space, he said.

Hopefully, such development at Lafayette Square's edge will make the former Foodland store and gas station across Jefferson in The Gate District even more attractive to a future redevelopment.



A while back, Joe Frank blogged about the infill potential and containts of this Gate District grayfield backing upto Eads Park. I hope the Mayor's Office is still courting a Trader Joe's or other similar new retail or grocer.

Wow, this is excellant! Gilded Age does good work. The article indicates that the building will be four stories high (three floors of residential above one commercial). Someone posted images of the old Union Club in another thread, and it was really a very cool building. Let's see if the new version lives up to the old.

GREAT NEWS! This is the first I've heard of condos planned for the current Foodland site. Sounds very urban, with residences above and storefronts below. I thought the neighborhood was trying to lure Whole Foods to that location? Honestly, I don't see that happening, although it would be great.

Foodland is on the northwest corner. These new developments are going on the northeast and southeast corners, with the southeast corner condos/restaurant replacing the former Aldi's.

Keep reading-- it specifically talks about plans for the Foodland site:



To the northwest, on the old Foodland property, there are plans to put up three buildings with retail on the first floor and condomiums on the upper stories, Reed said. An effort will be made to find a grocery store to go into part of the space, he said.

Well then, I stand corrected, and to my delight.



As these corners show, Lafayette Square build-out will hopefully continue to push development along and outside its boundaries. Jefferson to the west, Chouteau to the north, and Lafayette heading east, all have potential for new urban infill sites.

The rendering looks great - arched doorways, turrets, etc.

Where can I see a rendering?

Pick up a copy of the print edition. For some reason, the P-D rarely posts pictures on stltoday.

That is the biggest problem of being unable to get a print copy easily. I will be on the hunt for one.

That really does look nice. Should fit in very well. Can't wait to see it start going up.

WOW!!!!!!! This will really give Lafayette Square a nice entrance! We get closer to the day that you will be able to drive (or walk) down Lafayette from Jefferson to Broadway without seeing anything ugly!!!



(Thanks Citylover for scanning)

^

Yep, that's the plan.



Mary One is also working on a project at the northeast corner of Lafayette and Jefferson too.