An effort to revitalize a once-bustling section of downtown St. Louis is underway. Developers are pumping roughly $20 million into Laclede's Landing for retail, office, restaurant and residential space.
The investments follow some tough years for the area with Gateway Arch grounds construction and a down economy.
"We're done licking our wounds," said Laclede's Landing Community Improvement District President John Clark. "It was a dusty mess and there was some tragedy along the way. We lost a few businesses."
Now things are looking up in the area stretching from the Mississippi River to Interstate 44 and the Martin Luther King Bridge to the Eads Bridge.
Several businesses have shown interest in the area now that the Arch grounds project is wrapping up.
Advantes Development is one of the companies involved. It is renovating a 120-year old building that used to be the headquarters of Bi-State Development, which operates Metro transit.
Apartments in that building are expected to be open sometime this year.
Officials with the Great Rivers Greenway also believe a rebound is imminent for The Landing and surrounding area. The group is working on The Katherine Ward Burg Garden, which is the first step in a plan to redevelop the riverfront north of the Eads Bridge and Gateway Arch.
That effort is being supported by a donation from the trust set up in the late professional photographer's name.
"Katherine Burg always loved St. Louis, the Mississippi River, and the chance to connect with nature," Kimball McMullin, trustee of the Katherine W. Burg Trust, said in a news release from Great Rivers Greenway and the community improvement district.
The organizations are holding an open house to give the public a chance to learn of details on plans for The Landing.
The open house is set for 4-7 p.m., Wednesday, at one of The Landing's newest venues, VUE at 612 North 2nd St.
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