It’s time to do this
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Like it. That would be a great spot for something like that. That’s a horrendous entry into our downtown/city right now. We also need to do something about the lots behind the Convention Center, it makes us look like a barren wasteland. The Vess Bottle is a nice signature monument as well but I’m worried nobody is maintaining it at all and it’s just a mess of overgrown plants all in thereaddxb2 wrote: ↑Dec 06, 2025Google Gemini is getting pretty good. A concept of a monument for the I-70 entrance. I was thinking about the City's effort to redevelop this corner of land. I couldn't decide what would work well here strangled by the interstate. Then considered it would be a great place for a monument and entrance to the City. Red(Missouri), Blue(Illinois), Yellow(River), brought together into a fleur-de-lis representing St. Louis. Adding it to my lottery list.
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Kurt Weigle is out at Downtown Chief at GSL and reaction ive gotten from downtown stakeholders is....good
Brad Dean is setting the expectation for how a leader in the region should be acting and setting the narrative. Kurt wasn’t doing that. Dustin Allison wasn’t doing that. Kitchens has been silent.
It feels like the region has a tendency to hire people who are good on paper but not willing to roll up their sleeves and play aggressively while maintaining excitement.
We need more Brads and Rhondas.
It feels like the region has a tendency to hire people who are good on paper but not willing to roll up their sleeves and play aggressively while maintaining excitement.
We need more Brads and Rhondas.
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really should just hire me, i would get broad downtown stakeholder support.
That would be a great idea, I would support. Unfortunately, I only lead GSL in my head. In my head, you’re now in charge of downtown.
You can quit after you stop things like this from being said…
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I thought this last bit from the Business Journal article about Weigle was interesting:
Is it me, or does Kitchens' CV seem a little... underwhelming? No shade to Wichita Falls, but it's a pretty big jump from there to St. Louis.Weigle's departure appears to be sudden. He was scheduled to speak at a Business Journal panel event Tuesday morning, until GSL sent notice Friday that he would be replaced on the panel by Kitchens. The event is sold out.
In a recent appearance on the Business Journal's Arch City Report podcast, Kitchens said he's focused on improving the area's brand.
Before coming to St. Louis, Kitchens was president and CEO of the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce in Wichita Falls, Texas. He has also worked with economic development organizations in Birmingham, Alabama; Kalamazoo, Michigan; Moberly, Missouri and Corpus Christi, Texas.
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Kitchens and Weigle didn’t get along. So Kurt packed his bags. Kitchens wants to focus less on downtown and more on bringing jobs to the region.
You can't bring jobs to the region with a pathetic downtown. Who hired this yokel?dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑Dec 09, 2025Kitchens and Weigle didn’t get along. So Kurt packed his bags. Kitchens wants to focus less on downtown and more on bringing jobs to the region.
I wasn’t all that excited when they hired him but I’m willing to give him a chance. It isn’t like the established people here are making huge strides in that department so maybe someone with an outside perspective can do something different that works.
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Ha, that guy was in my fraternity. I had no idea what he was up to.
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Biggest thing that came out of this morning's Business Journal downtown event at Union Station is the goal over the next 3 years to bring 50 suburban businesses downtown and 2 dozen identified already as targets and meetings happening
Sounds good but seems strange that this level of vision would just be born at a BJ brunch.
I love this idea. Love. Love. Love.
I also love the idea of the biggest companies in the region each taking a floor or two of a downtown building and staking a claim.
Small moves spread out. Work from the bottom up and build momentum that way rather than relying solely on one big sweeping shoot-for-the-moon idea that if it fails you are back to square 1.
I also love the idea of the biggest companies in the region each taking a floor or two of a downtown building and staking a claim.
Small moves spread out. Work from the bottom up and build momentum that way rather than relying solely on one big sweeping shoot-for-the-moon idea that if it fails you are back to square 1.
I also doubt it was born at that brunch. It sounds like it's already happening.
I almost like it more if it is under-the-radar. Grow organically with less of a limelight. Not everything needs a bright light and a splashy press conference. I think sometimes STL focuses more on the press conference and the introduction of the idea than the implementation anyway.
I almost like it more if it is under-the-radar. Grow organically with less of a limelight. Not everything needs a bright light and a splashy press conference. I think sometimes STL focuses more on the press conference and the introduction of the idea than the implementation anyway.
It's a great idea and certainly hope it comes to fruition. Would be very interested to hear how the conversations are going. My guess is there is a good amount of hesitation - but I'd consider it a big win if you get a "I'll move employees down if you get X number of other companies to agree as well." Enough of those commitments and you are set.dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑Dec 09, 2025Biggest thing that came out of this morning's Business Journal downtown event at Union Station is the goal over the next 3 years to bring 50 suburban businesses downtown and 2 dozen identified already as targets and meetings happening
I don't really understand AI and I crack jokes about how little I understand it, but using AI or some other means, I wonder if there is a way to create a list of every business in St. Louis County that is owned by somebody who lives in St. Louis City.
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Second thing was Bob of LHM wanting I see STL county government relocate to downtown
And him working with Andrew Bailey (now at the fbi) to combine city and county crime data
And him working with Andrew Bailey (now at the fbi) to combine city and county crime data
Don't really see this as a constructive avenue to pursue. First, more of the same culture of dividing. Second, wouldn't county and surrounding region/communities just do the same thing?stlokc wrote: ↑Dec 10, 2025I don't really understand AI and I crack jokes about how little I understand it, but using AI or some other means, I wonder if there is a way to create a list of every business in St. Louis County that is owned by somebody who lives in St. Louis City.
It's already happening. They are in talks with suburban companies. I'm just referring to a way to create a target list. If you are going to go after suburban companies, perhaps those that are headed by a city resident would be more open to the conversation. Perhaps they wouldn't. It's just a thought.dredger wrote: ↑Dec 10, 2025Don't really see this as a constructive avenue to pursue. First, more of the same culture of dividing. Second, wouldn't county and surrounding region/communities just do the same thing?stlokc wrote: ↑Dec 10, 2025I don't really understand AI and I crack jokes about how little I understand it, but using AI or some other means, I wonder if there is a way to create a list of every business in St. Louis County that is owned by somebody who lives in St. Louis City.
Look, it would be far, far, far, FAR better for them to attract companies to Downtown from outside the region. I would much rather see that. But that has been the goal forever and it rarely seems to happen at any real scale.