urbanSTL

Cortex will turn 20 years old next year and it’s about 85% developed.
So this is a 15-25 year plan

I hope they can get the ball rolling on some residential projects earlier than with Cortex. Even a Texas donut or two would go a long way towards infusing some energy into the area.

Right now it's just a depressing semi-urban office park. Barely foot traffic during the day and a complete dead zone at night.

GoHarvOrGoHome wrote: ↑

Sep 27, 2021

I hope they can get the ball rolling on some residential projects earlier than with Cortex. Even a Texas donut or two would go a long way towards infusing some energy into the area.

Right now it's just a depressing semi-urban office park. Barely foot traffic during the day and a complete dead zone at night.

Agree with NOW District.  It could support more housing earlier and with the mix of business, hotels, convention and dowtown residential it will hopefully see more sooner than later.

Can understand the gripes of CORTEX not having enough residential sooner then later but I think you also have to put in context of the larger immediate area.  CWE to FPSE/Grove to next phases of Foundry/Armory to even  Steelcote & revamped Iron Hill to SLU/Grand.    I don't think it is all that bad that CORTEX is more commercial, tech and a lot of lab space to support jobs even if it seem suburban as long local connections/greenways/pedestrian/bike access can continue to improve.  In other words, already some good walkable neighborhoods only getting better with plenty more room to infill as is.    In other words, rather have some areas get better sooner rather later than everything proceed at a snail space because projects are so spread out..     

dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑

Sep 24, 2021

Cortex will turn 20 years old next year and it’s about 85% developed.

I'd put it closer to 25-30% developed. If you include IKEA and the WUSM Neuroscience (which aren't really Cortex, but certainly in the district's footprint) maybe closer to 45%. But with the Duncan & Boyle residential project, Cortex K and Sand Crawler still not out of the ground, tons of surface parking, numerous abandoned lots, low density legacy uses (Goodwill warehouse, BJC Clayton Ave Building, abandoned grain silos), there's still a long way to go. 

Cortex has added just two new buildings south of Metrolink tracks - BJC Commons and Shriners Hospital (also not really "Cortex" but in the district).

85% would mean another building or two and it's "done". I think it needs at least 2x what has gone in already (including additional adaptive reuses) to be truly filled out. This give a sense of how much work is left to do:

^I think the owners of the grain elevator would dispute your assertion that it is abandoned.

I didn't help the thread by adding CORTEX comments but from what JJ was originally asking.  

Any thoughts and hints that NOW might be working on anything else development wise at the moment or in near term?  Twitter just added Oakland space and was hoping that maybe Dorsey was looking at adding Twitter presence in St.  Louis as well but maybe just more wishful thinking.

I think this has been branded Downtown North.
https://downtownnorthstl.com