Blog > Blog > Archive by tag 'South Grand'

February 8, 2010 at 1:57 pm

After years of dormancy, this project just popped up out of nowhere. In an message to students and faculty of Saint Louis University, the university’s President Lawrence Biondi revealed that a bridge over the railways between Chouteau Avenue and Interstate-64 on July 1, 2010.

Details are very sparse at this point, but it sounds like the bridge will be closed for a year in order to demolish the old bridge, and build the new bridge and Metrolink station. The last renderings for this bridge came out in 2006 so there is no telling what it will look like. But with the construction date to start so soon, you can expect we will be seeing much about this very soon. Read more

January 28, 2010 at 7:18 pm

There is no doubt that Grand Boulevard has been on the upswing in recent years. To the north, Grand Center continues to be  a focal point of activity for the arts and education. To the south, Grand South Grand has increasingly become a South City alternative to the Delmar Loop. Tower Grove Park and SLU have really added to the mix as well. However, one of the greatest failures along the street has been the area between Gravois and Chippewa.

To be more precise, the area south of Utah and north of Osage. Discounting North St. Louis (that is a whole other story), this section of the street is the farthest behind in tapping it’s potential. Populated by a variety of suburban-styled fast food establishments, the most rundown Schnuck’s in South City, a former grocery store turned office, cookie-cutter stripmalls, a recent yet uninspired retired-housing project, and a plethora of vacant and underused properties; it doesn’t take a urban renewal specialist to realize the area isn’t all it can be. Read more

December 16, 2009 at 4:23 pm

With the success of the 3-lane configuration test on South Grand, the powers that be decided to leave the bollards and concrete dividers creating the effect in place. The idea was that it would help people get used to the new layout, which is looming. The only problem is that those chunks of concrete are ugly. Read more

September 22, 2009 at 4:30 pm

You know a neighborhood is on the right track when it can support not only two business districts (South Grand and Morgan Ford), but also a hodge-podge of businesses interspersed throughout the neighborhood. That is exactly what continues to happen in the neighborhood of Tower Grove South with the soon-to-be-opened A Walk in the Park Pet Spa.

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September 14, 2009 at 5:34 pm

I haven’t posted anything about the proposed changes to the streetscape on South Grand since early last year as these projects tend to drag on forever. Thankfully, it looks like things are finally coming together.  In fact, the 3- lane proposal (my personal favorite) is actually being tested right now. Read more

March 27, 2009 at 10:47 am

If you were anywhere near South St. Louis or Midtown last Sunday (March 22, 2009) you couldn’t have missed the smoke coming from the huge fire at the former Prairie Farms complex Read more

January 14, 2009 at 6:20 pm

With the abrupt closure of the Pevely Dairy Complex in Midtown St. Louis last October, things weren’t looking too good for the corner of South Grand and Chouteau. With a sluggish economy, who would want to buy the place? Enter mystery developer. Things are looking up Read more

May 5, 2008 at 1:31 pm

The former location of the florist shop Kabloom, at the intersection of Grand and Arsenal at 3101 South Grand, is about to take on a new tenant: Emack & Bolio’s. What in the world is Emack & Bolio’s you ask? Apparently, it is a Boston-based ice cream chain. Most of their locations appear to be in Massachusetts, but they have a few others scattered throughout the country including one in Springfield, Missouri. No word on when it’s set to open. Read more

April 9, 2008 at 2:36 pm

South GrandIt took a little long than expected, but I finally got my hands on original copies of the pictures and proposals for the South Grand Great Streets Initiative proposal. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check last week’s post regarding the planned streetscape improvements for this prominent South St. Louis commercial corridor. You can download the proposals by clicking on the appropriate links below: Read more

April 4, 2008 at 4:32 pm

South Grand 4-Lane BasicThis past Monday (March 31, 2008) I attended a public meeting showcasing the proposed designs for streetscape improvements along South Grand between Arsenal and McDonald. Being touted as an “example project” of East-West Gateway’s new “St. Louis Great Streets Initiative”, the project would take significant steps to beautify the area, slow down traffic and make it more pedestrian friendly overall. Read more

November 14, 2007 at 5:40 pm

*NOTE – This article was originally written in August of 2006 for the newsletter.

In recent years, the efforts of community leaders and local entrepreneurs have led the area surrounding South Grand into a new renaissance. This area, stretching on Grand Avenue from Arsenal to Utah, has been dubbed Grand South Grand. A mix of international restaurants and shops has made the stretch a destination.

Unfortunately, as this and other areas of Grand Avenue have witnessed continual improvements, the stretch to the immediate south has remained stagnant. The intersection of Grand and Gravois has been idle for years, but thanks to recent developments the area has a renewed sense of hope. As most continue to ignore the crucial intersection, one developer has decided that it is time for it to be in the spotlight.

The Lawrence Group, known for their architectural, interior design and town-planning is placing bets that this effort will not go unnoticed. The company is currently in the initial phases of a mixed-use development that will be known as Grand View Point.

Taking central stage, is the South Side Tower, located at the southwest corner of the intersection. The former South Side National Bank is listed on the national Register of Historic Places and is currently being converted into a mixed-use project featuring 13 condominiums and street-level retail. Most of the $159,000 to $209,900 condos, as well as the $399,000 suite, have already been sold.

As the South Side Tower project continues to take shape, the Lawrence Group is already planning for the next phase of the development, just south of the southeast corner of the intersection. Initial details suggest that this building, often referred to as the Melba Theater or Grand View Arcade, will also become a mixed-use component in the project. Featuring 18 apartments on the second and third floors, it’s first floor retail shops will likely be accessible from both the street and the interior “mall like” hallway.

These two projects are the first in what could become a significantly larger development. As progress continues in the effort to push Grand South Grand further southward, these projects could eventually merge. Such a possibility would not only benefit the developers and business owners involved, but also improve the already strong rental and investment real estate market in the area.

*UPDATE – According to 15thwardstl.org, “The firm (The Lawrence Group) bought the Lutz Building at 3552 S. Grand for $400,000 in March and the 16,000-square-foot Farmers and Merchants building at 3552 Gravois for $535,000 in September.” Looks like things are still moving along nicely. If only they would start construction.