Vacancy

A study released Wednesday by the Brookings Institution examines how St. Louis could reverse the perception of downtown as a "real estate nightmare" by converting office buildings to residential uses.

The theater is part of the Marquette Homes project, which includes the rehabilitation of six buildings and construction of three others in the Gravois Park and Dutchtown neighborhoods.

It’s a problem that metastasized over decades, making it unrealistic to expect a speedy solution to the roughly 25,000 vacant buildings and lots inside city limits.

Construction is expected to begin next summer on the historic Eliot Elementary School in St. Louis’ Fairground neighborhood. The school will become an addiction treatment center that also addresses homelessness and mental health issues.

The new wellness center, once completed, will offer a place to help men recover from addiction in a region that only has a handful of detox beds.

The region’s urban core has struggled to rebound since the pandemic, with a slew of companies relocating their offices away from downtown. Urban centers with more diverse economic sectors have shown to be more resilient coming back from the pandemic.

There needs to be a reason for employees to return to the office, since the pandemic proved remote work was viable.

The legislation from Alderwoman Sharon Tyus of the 1st Ward would move local primary elections to February and a general election to March.

For years, an empty three-story warehouse on the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Drive and Whittier Street was just another eyesore in north St. Louis.…

Thaddeus Gerdine maintains more than 60 vacant lots in the city of St. Louis. “They just seemed like no one was taking care of them,” said Gerdine, who…