New Development Projects and Hotel Updates Keep St. Louis Moving

Downtown St. Louis continues to reinvent itself with a variety of new development projects. Historic buildings in the Gateway City’s central business district are undergoing transformations that will add new life and new visitors to the America’s Center convention complex district. In addition to the new 750-space Seventh Street Parking Garage, historic structures are being re-purposed for 21st century uses.

The Laurel, a 630,000 square foot development adjacent to America’s Center, is a mixed-use project that will feature a 212-room Embassy Suites Hotel, apartments, a restaurant, bar and the National Blues Museum.

Plans are also underway to return a historic entertainment venue to life, with the former Kiel Opera House undergoing a $78 million dollar renovation. Construction has begun on the historic venue, which has been renamed the Peabody Opera House. It originally opened in 1934 and is scheduled to re-open in fall 2011 with a full slate of performances and events. In addition to the main 3,200-seat theater, the facility will feature four smaller theaters that can accommodate special events. New and improved sound and lighting systems will be added, and developers promise a full interior revamp and upgrade while reinstating as much as possible of to the historic hall’s original glory.

These developments are part of the Gateway City’s continued revitalization, joining such recent additions to the local hospitality package as the Moonrise Hotel and a new Hampton Inn & Suites. The Moonrise Hotel brings boutique luxury accommodations to the eclectic environs Delmar Boulevard, which was named one of America’s 10 Best Streets in 2008. Decorated with moon-themed art and a contemporary flair, the 135-room hotel includes 10 suites and features Enrapture Eurotop beds. The Rooftop Bar offers cocktails and small plates, while the Eclipse restaurant serves a menu of updated and reinterpreted classic favorites.

Lodging Hospitality Management (LHM) has purchased The Cheshire, a 107-room property located at the edge of Forest Park. The hotel, which features seven specialty concept Jacuzzi rooms and 11 mini suites, is undergoing a $4 million renovation and is expected to re-open in the summer of 2011. The Cheshire is home to the famous Fox & Hounds Tavern and includes a complimentary business center, fitness center and Wi-Fi.

The new Hampton Inn & Suites St. Louis South I-55 is a 92-room hotel located at I-55 and Butler Hill Road in south St. Louis County. The 92-room property includes meeting space for groups of up to 40 people, an indoor pool, whirlpool, and a fitness center with Precor treadmills, elliptical, and free weights.

Missouri’s only Four Seasons hotel is located downtown along the historic Mississippi Riverfront. The luxury hotel offers 200 spacious guest rooms and suites with unrivaled views of the Gateway Arch and the Mississippi River, as well as a 12,000-square foot luxury spa, an expansive fitness center, pool, a 24-hour business center, and contemporary Italian fare at the on-site restaurant Cielo.

Congratulations to the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel for being awarded the prestigious AAA Four-Diamond Award. The property, which is the only one in the St. Louis Airport area to receive the Four-Diamond rating for 2010, is a 393-room hotel managed by Davidson Hotel Company. In addition, the hotel’s Executive Chef, Chris Stroup, was named the 2010 “Chef of the Year” by the St. Louis Area Hotel Association. Chef Stroup, chief honcho of the hotel’s T-Bone Trattoria, has more than 22 years in the food service industry and is known for creating a variety of unique dishes that feature locally indigenous ingredients.

The Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch is making travel easier for allergy sufferers, introducing 28 new Respire by Hyatt rooms. Designed to provide an environment that’s up to 98 percent free of pollen, airborne pollutants, and other irritants, the special rooms undergo a state-of-the-art process developed by PURE Solutions NA. The hypo-allergenic program includes continuously circulating the air in the rooms through a medical grade purifier and comprehensively treating the room to minimize allergens and irritants for surfaces and fabrics.

In nearby St. Charles, Missouri, the Ameristar Casino St. Charles has opened its 25-story luxury hotel and spa. The casino’s $265 million expansion features the 400-room hotel, a 7,000 square-foot full-service spa, an indoor/outdoor pool area, and a 2,000-space parking garage. There’s also 19,200 square feet of state-of-the-art conference and meeting facilities at the property.

In the Central West End neighborhood, the Parkway Hotel has a new meeting room that seats 55 theater style. The 220-room property, which is adjacent to St. Louis’ renowned Washington University Medical Center, has an updated lobby area and the guestrooms feature new bedding and 32″ flat panel TVs. At the nearby Chase Park Plaza, the hotel was transformed by a $20 million, full room renovation as well as refurbishing all of the public spaces and meeting areas. The historic hotel has expanded its lodging inventory with an additional 89 rooms.

Updated: February 17, 2011

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