1M Gallon, $45M Aquarium With Ferris Wheel Union Station

RockChalkSTL · PostNov 13, 2019#2762019-11-13T14:52+00:00

I think they should do well in the winter as well.

LHM does a ton of Christmas-themed entertainment, and the Aquarium is an indoor activity that should be great for when it's too cold to go to the Zoo or Grant's Farm or other outside activities across St. Louis.

GoHarvOrGoHome · PostNov 13, 2019#2772019-11-13T15:20+00:00

Would love to see them eventually add an ice rink to the complex (not a dinky one like Kiener Plaza)

RockChalkSTL · PostNov 13, 2019#2782019-11-13T15:28+00:00

They have plenty of room to add a lot more permanent and temporary attractions. I hope they do, especially if what they've already built turns out to be a smash success, like it appears it's going to be.

urbanitas · PostNov 14, 2019#2792019-11-14T08:49+00:00

symphonicpoet wrote: ↑
Nov 13, 2019

Yeah. It's not hugely dramatic, but it is definitely visible in the night skyline.

Now, if we can just get the Glohawk updated and synced with the Wheel...

eee123 · PostNov 14, 2019#2802019-11-14T20:55+00:00

You still can't access the Metrolink station without walking in the street due to one entrance being closed and the other limited by dual sidewalk closures.

Is it that hard to put up some Jersey barriers and carve a sidewalk to a downtown transit station? 18th doesn't even need two lanes each way in the first place.

Black02AltimaSE · PostNov 14, 2019#2812019-11-14T21:39+00:00

On a night with a Blues home game, 18th can get quite a lot of traffic.

urbanitas · PostNov 14, 2019#2822019-11-14T23:25+00:00

eee123 wrote: ↑
Nov 14, 2019
You still can't access the Metrolink station without walking in the street due to one entrance being closed and the other limited by dual sidewalk closures.

Is it that hard to put up some Jersey barriers and carve a sidewalk to a downtown transit station? 18th doesn't even need two lanes each way in the first place.

What have they been doing to the east side of the shed for so long? I thought most of the aquarium construction was interior. Or, are they just using that side as a staging area so they don't lose any of their precious parking spaces?

dbInSouthCity · PostNov 15, 2019#2832019-11-15T14:51+00:00

Going to the Train Shed soft opening tonight, will report back. It officially opens on the 18th.
Menu from their website- https://www.trainshed-stl.com/wp-conten ... 19_1_1.pdf

flipz · PostNov 15, 2019#2842019-11-15T15:02+00:00

dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑
Nov 15, 2019
Going to the Train Shed soft opening tonight, will report back. It officially opens on the 18th.
Menu from their website- https://www.trainshed-stl.com/wp-conten ... 19_1_1.pdf

Is this invite only? We were thinking of going to check out the wheel tonight.

dbInSouthCity · PostNov 15, 2019#2852019-11-15T15:31+00:00

flipz wrote: ↑
Nov 15, 2019
dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑
Nov 15, 2019
Going to the Train Shed soft opening tonight, will report back. It officially opens on the 18th.
Menu from their website- https://www.trainshed-stl.com/wp-conten ... 19_1_1.pdf
Is this invite only? We were thinking of going to check out the wheel tonight.

I believe so. I just show up where and when my partner tells me

Black02AltimaSE · PostNov 15, 2019#2862019-11-15T19:12+00:00

^FYI I have seen uninvited people show up to an invite only soft open and be let in if the number of invited folks who actually show up is lower than expected. Maybe take a chance if you are down there anyway.

dbInSouthCity · PostNov 16, 2019#2872019-11-16T02:10+00:00

Rope course is up and running, train shed restaurant looks good, there is a line for the wheel. LHM is really going to hit a home run with this and the aquarium isn’t even open yet

chriss752 · PostNov 16, 2019#2882019-11-16T02:38+00:00

Nice to know that this has been successful and busy so far. I was quite nervous when this was all announced. I thought it would be a flop, but I guess it is more of a win. In my opinion, this is St. Louis' version of Navy Pier but one where locals can enjoy the attractions.

urbanitas · PostNov 17, 2019#2892019-11-17T02:26+00:00

Does anyone know if this retail space in, and built out from, the Union Station Headhouse (across 20th St. from Maggie O'Brien's) is vacant? It was Senor Julio's a decade or more ago. I think the Station Grille was expanded during the hotel renovation, so maybe some of this space was used, but it really does not look good from the exterior. If the space is still vacant, they really ought to make that a priority. A restaurant here with a ground level patio and a rooftop deck, overlooking the new stadium, would be freakin' amazing...

Black02AltimaSE · PostNov 18, 2019#2902019-11-18T18:58+00:00

It looks like access to MetroLink has been restored based on Scott Ogilvie's twitter.

eee123 · PostNov 18, 2019#2912019-11-18T20:47+00:00

Black02AltimaSE wrote: ↑
Nov 18, 2019
It looks like access to MetroLink has been restored based on Scott Ogilvie's twitter.

Even better is the part of that tweet mentioning the city is actively looking at how to minimize future sidewalk closures.

urbanitas · PostNov 18, 2019#2922019-11-18T23:42+00:00

eee123 wrote: ↑
Nov 18, 2019
Black02AltimaSE wrote: ↑
Nov 18, 2019
It looks like access to MetroLink has been restored based on Scott Ogilvie's twitter.
Even better is the part of that tweet mentioning the city is actively looking at how to minimize future sidewalk closures.

It is amazing how rarely you see scaffolding over open sidewalks around construction sites here in St. Louis, while it is something you see regularly at urban construction sites almost everywhere else. Even Kansas City does this ffs...

dbInSouthCity · PostNov 18, 2019#2932019-11-18T23:45+00:00

^ I was amazed when I saw it in CWE on Kingshighway, parking lane was taken away for it.

sc4mayor · PostNov 19, 2019#2942019-11-19T02:08+00:00

urbanitas wrote: ↑
Nov 18, 2019
eee123 wrote: ↑
Nov 18, 2019
Black02AltimaSE wrote: ↑
Nov 18, 2019
It looks like access to MetroLink has been restored based on Scott Ogilvie's twitter.
Even better is the part of that tweet mentioning the city is actively looking at how to minimize future sidewalk closures.
It is amazing how rarely you see scaffolding over open sidewalks around construction sites here in St. Louis, while it is something you see regularly at urban construction sites almost everywhere else. Even Kansas City does this ffs...

I wish they were doing this at the 46 Penn Centre office building they're building on my street in KC. The street and west sidewalk have been closed for over a year. And the Nordstrom project on Jefferson, they have the west sidewalk and a lane of traffic closed. I don't see why it's so hard for developers to maintain a space for pedestrians. Especially near a MetroLink stop like in this case. We don't take up that much space. I was in Denver three weeks ago and encountered no less than three closed sidewalks for projects on the normally short walk from Union Station to my friend's building by Coors Field. And this was near a major transit center.

symphonicpoet · PostNov 19, 2019#2952019-11-19T05:52+00:00

^Nice to know we're not the only people screwing that up.

sc4mayor · PostDec 04, 2019#2962019-12-04T16:52+00:00

Opening on Christmas Day:
https://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/ ... -top-story

sc4mayor · PostDec 19, 2019#2972019-12-19T18:23+00:00

Some pretty good pictures in here:
A big splash: Your guide to St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station
https://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/ ... 73864.html

dbInSouthCity · PostDec 19, 2019#2982019-12-19T18:35+00:00

I get a tour today at 4:30, ill take as many photos as i can.

PostDec 20, 2019#2992019-12-20T01:39+00:00

So I forgot to take photos but overall it was a very fun experience. To start the aquarium tour you go into a virtual train ride narrated by John Goodman that tells a brief history of STL starting in 1904, as the train rules along the city (shown on windows of the train).

Side note- surprised how packed the wheel and train shed/soda fountain restaurants. Ownership is pleasantly surprised how well the wheel and the entire project has done so far. This place will be jam packed in the spring and summer

urbanitas · PostDec 21, 2019#3002019-12-21T08:41+00:00

The restaurants look good, and the one that was open was packed. But I hope that all of the locked entrances, security gates, and long stretches of blank drywall in the enclosed portion of the trainshed are very temporary. 'Cuz right now, it has all of the charm of a makeshift detention facility.

1M Gallon, $45M Aquarium With Ferris Wheel Union Station

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