Downtown Belleville is on the upswing
Tim Bryant St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Traffic flows under the new canopy of trendy lights spread over East Main Street, where bars and restaurants open to broad, patio-like sidewalks.
The activity adds vitality to a downtown that for decades relied on law firms and other businesses tied to banks and St. Clair County government offices that ring Public Square.
Recently, owners of some downtown storefronts have converted upper floors to apartments and even overnight lodging favored by international visitors to the St. Louis area. In addition, about seven new shops, two bars and four restaurants have opened in the last two years, said Darrell Coons, director of the Belleville Main Street Association.
“Gradually, everything down here is getting better,” he said.
Downtown Belleville property owners said their area blends aspects of Main Street in St. Charles, Cherokee Street in St. Louis and the Delmar Loop. The $50,000 canopy of small lights that crisscross over a section of East Main mimics those over part of Washington Avenue in downtown St. Louis.
Continue Reading: http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... 29a57.html
Downtown Belleville on the Rise
Downtown Belleville on the Rise
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I was over there last night and decided to take a drive down Main St. I hadn't been that way in a LONG time. I was VERY impressed. Obviously, being a Monday night, you wouldn't expect much life. There was a decent amount of traffic and all of the bars and restaurants were crowded. I think it is awesome. I wish we had TONS of streets like this Downtown and other places. Obviously, we do, but it would be great it Downtown STL had more streets like this. I love the fountain and roundabout. The lights were awesome. It has a very South St. Louis feel to it with the brick buildings and what-not.
What is the story with increased crime concerns in that area? I did not see much if any decay, nor did I see any rough areas. Obviously, I didn't see the surrounding areas or dig deeper, but I've heard some rumblings from long-time Belleville residents, that they worry about crime increasing in the area.
What is the story with increased crime concerns in that area? I did not see much if any decay, nor did I see any rough areas. Obviously, I didn't see the surrounding areas or dig deeper, but I've heard some rumblings from long-time Belleville residents, that they worry about crime increasing in the area.
I remember in the 80's it was so boring to go to downtown Belleville. It was nothing but antique stores, random craft stores, and the 2 movie theaters - the Lincoln and the Ritz. It was an old lady's paradise.
Despite the loss of the Ritz, it has completely transformed for the better.
Despite the loss of the Ritz, it has completely transformed for the better.
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Just ate dinner at one of the taverns, sat outside on the patio under the lights they have over the street. It was a really nice vibe and atmosphere... and there were a lot more people out walking at 8:30 than I expected.
"With Meredith Home Sale in Belleville, Renovation of Historic Building Will Now Start"
https://www.constructforstl.org/with-me ... now-start/
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https://www.constructforstl.org/with-me ... now-start/
- 6,117
That's a neat a neat old building. Glad to see it getting rehabbed. I've obviously not been to Belleville recently enough. 
Great! that was slated to be torn down for a park a couple of years agoframer wrote: ↑May 08, 2020"With Meredith Home Sale in Belleville, Renovation of Historic Building Will Now Start"
https://www.constructforstl.org/with-me ... now-start/
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I felt the largest city in the Metro East (my hometown) could use its own page. About development there and its role in the metro area. Here is some of the latest from this month.
https://www.bnd.com/news/local/communit ... 64730.html
https://www.bnd.com/news/local/communit ... 64730.html
oh did not know this was on the board thanks
- 6,117
Yeah, Bellville could definitely use a thread. Glad to hear about the market!
As much as downtown St. Louis and other city neighborhoods need improvements, we should also be rooting for all of the Metro East suburbs and their old downtowns. Yes, they might be outside the 270/255 loop and sprawl enabling. But they do have history and southern Illinois population loss hurts the St. Louis area.
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Belleville and Alton will always be my favorite metro-east towns. Both just feel so authentic and full of potential.
We also need a strong metro east to center the population around DT. A week metro east adds to the problem and western sprawl of resources. Good things are happening in pockets but parts of the metro east have really slid since 2000.dweebe wrote: ↑Apr 17, 2023As much as downtown St. Louis and other city neighborhoods need improvements, we should also be rooting for all of the Metro East suburbs and their old downtowns. Yes, they might be outside the 270/255 loop and sprawl enabling. But they do have history and southern Illinois population loss hurts the St. Louis area.
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Some pics I get on my walks just north west of downtown Belleville. if you want to take a look.
+1
- 6,117
^Agreed and ^^agreed. We really do need a strong metro east. The weakness of the metro east has done us so much harm, and it was largely deliberately engineered by a few enormous corporations, several of which aren't even in business anymore. The PBS docco on East St. Louis is an eye opener. We need to fight as a region to fix that.
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Sharing a few more photos of Belleville (or Belle-Vegas) - all are 2019 and before:
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- 6,117
^Yep, I believe that's the one. It was quite educational.
Belleville, home base of Charles King, was also a hotbed of Mid Century Modern architecture.
http://bellevillehistoricalsociety.org/ ... rwin-king/
http://bellevillehistoricalsociety.org/ ... rwin-king/
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https://www.bnd.com/news/local/communit ... 26451.html
A developer wants to redevelop a block of downtown Belleville into commercial space and about 25 condominiums, but he’s only interested if the city agrees to build a parking garage. That was the message delivered recently to the City Council’s Economic Development and Annexation Committee by Cliff Cross, director of economic development, planning and zoning. “They feel that to make their model work, there needs to be a parking garage, and it would be available to all businesses downtown,” he said. The project involves an unspecified number of buildings in the 100 block of East Main Street, where the former Ben’s retail store was located. The parking garage would be behind it. Ben’s closed earlier this year, when owner John Conkright and his daughter, Beth Wamble, retired. The store had been operating since 1976. Cross didn’t name the developer due to ongoing negotiations. “It’s a very reputable developer with a very good background,” he said. “They’ve talked about doing an amazing project, and this isn’t their first rodeo.” One possibility would be a five-level garage with the lower three levels designated for public parking and the upper two levels reserved for condo residents, including parking on the fourth level and green space for walking and other recreation on the fifth level. Cross told committee members that parking garages now cost about $35,000 per space to build — close to $5 million for 140 spaces — and that grant funding might be available to help pay for it. “If there’s a viable project on the books, that gives us a better opportunity to get a grant for building a garage,” said Eric Schauster, assistant director of economic development. “I’ve been looking for 10 years for grants, and most of the ones I’ve been able to find are similar to the industrial park. ... If you find somebody who’s going to sign on and say, ‘I will do my project if you build this garage,’ that’s the hook.” Schauster said the upper floors of several downtown buildings, particularly those in the 100 block of East Main Street, haven’t been redeveloped due to lack of a parking garage. Belleville resident Michael Hagberg, who attended the committee meeting on May 3, said the city studied the idea of building a parking garage about 10 years ago and determined that it was unnecessary and too expensive. Cross suggested that the city “reevaluate” the need in light of the project being proposed by a developer who would be making big investment in downtown Belleville. “They want to do it sooner rather than later,” he said. Cross also suggested that people stop thinking about “downtown” as just Main Street and consider expanding south to Washington Street and north to A Street with one or more parking garages. Ward 6 Alderman Chris Rothweiler didn’t speak for or against a Belleville parking garage, but he urged caution, recalling his recent trip to Lafayette, Louisiana, which has a “beautiful” parking garage downtown. Rothweiler said the vast majority of people parked several blocks away along side streets to avoid paying the garage fee. “I think one of the issues we’d have to look at is, ‘Would people really pay to park in a garage?’” he said. “Sure we could put gates up and charge them, but would they actually pay to do that, considering that people don’t like to pay to park?” Ward 7 Alderman Dennis Weygandt asked to look at the proposed redevelopment plan before moving forward on the idea of a parking garage. Ward 5 Alderwoman Shelly Schaefer said downtown Belleville has many “great” buildings that aren’t being fully utilized because they need costly renovation work. “If (this developer is) willing to put the money and time into it, that’s a major deal,” she said. “If we need to put up a garage, we need to really consider that because that could make or break that block. “And to bring residents in? We keep talking about how we need more residents. If they’re going to put lofts or condos up there, it’s going to be bringing people in.”
A developer wants to redevelop a block of downtown Belleville into commercial space and about 25 condominiums, but he’s only interested if the city agrees to build a parking garage. That was the message delivered recently to the City Council’s Economic Development and Annexation Committee by Cliff Cross, director of economic development, planning and zoning. “They feel that to make their model work, there needs to be a parking garage, and it would be available to all businesses downtown,” he said. The project involves an unspecified number of buildings in the 100 block of East Main Street, where the former Ben’s retail store was located. The parking garage would be behind it. Ben’s closed earlier this year, when owner John Conkright and his daughter, Beth Wamble, retired. The store had been operating since 1976. Cross didn’t name the developer due to ongoing negotiations. “It’s a very reputable developer with a very good background,” he said. “They’ve talked about doing an amazing project, and this isn’t their first rodeo.” One possibility would be a five-level garage with the lower three levels designated for public parking and the upper two levels reserved for condo residents, including parking on the fourth level and green space for walking and other recreation on the fifth level. Cross told committee members that parking garages now cost about $35,000 per space to build — close to $5 million for 140 spaces — and that grant funding might be available to help pay for it. “If there’s a viable project on the books, that gives us a better opportunity to get a grant for building a garage,” said Eric Schauster, assistant director of economic development. “I’ve been looking for 10 years for grants, and most of the ones I’ve been able to find are similar to the industrial park. ... If you find somebody who’s going to sign on and say, ‘I will do my project if you build this garage,’ that’s the hook.” Schauster said the upper floors of several downtown buildings, particularly those in the 100 block of East Main Street, haven’t been redeveloped due to lack of a parking garage. Belleville resident Michael Hagberg, who attended the committee meeting on May 3, said the city studied the idea of building a parking garage about 10 years ago and determined that it was unnecessary and too expensive. Cross suggested that the city “reevaluate” the need in light of the project being proposed by a developer who would be making big investment in downtown Belleville. “They want to do it sooner rather than later,” he said. Cross also suggested that people stop thinking about “downtown” as just Main Street and consider expanding south to Washington Street and north to A Street with one or more parking garages. Ward 6 Alderman Chris Rothweiler didn’t speak for or against a Belleville parking garage, but he urged caution, recalling his recent trip to Lafayette, Louisiana, which has a “beautiful” parking garage downtown. Rothweiler said the vast majority of people parked several blocks away along side streets to avoid paying the garage fee. “I think one of the issues we’d have to look at is, ‘Would people really pay to park in a garage?’” he said. “Sure we could put gates up and charge them, but would they actually pay to do that, considering that people don’t like to pay to park?” Ward 7 Alderman Dennis Weygandt asked to look at the proposed redevelopment plan before moving forward on the idea of a parking garage. Ward 5 Alderwoman Shelly Schaefer said downtown Belleville has many “great” buildings that aren’t being fully utilized because they need costly renovation work. “If (this developer is) willing to put the money and time into it, that’s a major deal,” she said. “If we need to put up a garage, we need to really consider that because that could make or break that block. “And to bring residents in? We keep talking about how we need more residents. If they’re going to put lofts or condos up there, it’s going to be bringing people in.”
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It seems mostly fine. I don't expect to see bellevillians going carless very often and it replacing a surface lot...but 5 stories of parking should yield close to 350 spaces on that lot...also street facing retail.
- 14
https://www.bnd.com/news/local/communit ... 94543.html
New, upscale loft apartments are nearly complete in a former pharmacy building that includes a section originally constructed in the 1800s in downtown Belleville. It’s all part of the Gilpin brothers’ march to convert neglected, vacant Belleville buildings into vibrant places to live and work. Karl Gilpin and his brother, Vic Gilpin of Tygracon Properties Inc., said the finishing touches are being applied in 12 apartments on the second and third floors of the former Schaufler’s Pharmacy building at 300 E. Main St. in downtown Belleville.
The apartments were built where doctors and dentists once had offices. Tenants are expected to begin moving into the apartments later this month. A couple of years ago, the Farnsworth Group, an architectural and engineering firm based in Bloomington, moved into offices on the first floor of the building. The apartments are known as “300” in a nod to the building’s street address. “I think it’s a good addition, especially for downtown, and I think it’s going to be extremely popular,” Mayor Patty Gregory said of the Gilpin’s development.
Read more at: https://www.bnd.com/news/local/communit ... rylink=cpy
New, upscale loft apartments are nearly complete in a former pharmacy building that includes a section originally constructed in the 1800s in downtown Belleville. It’s all part of the Gilpin brothers’ march to convert neglected, vacant Belleville buildings into vibrant places to live and work. Karl Gilpin and his brother, Vic Gilpin of Tygracon Properties Inc., said the finishing touches are being applied in 12 apartments on the second and third floors of the former Schaufler’s Pharmacy building at 300 E. Main St. in downtown Belleville.
The apartments were built where doctors and dentists once had offices. Tenants are expected to begin moving into the apartments later this month. A couple of years ago, the Farnsworth Group, an architectural and engineering firm based in Bloomington, moved into offices on the first floor of the building. The apartments are known as “300” in a nod to the building’s street address. “I think it’s a good addition, especially for downtown, and I think it’s going to be extremely popular,” Mayor Patty Gregory said of the Gilpin’s development.
Read more at: https://www.bnd.com/news/local/communit ... rylink=cpy
