Downtown St. Louis is no longer just a business district with the usual corporate offices, law firms and copy centers. Added to the mix over the last few years are hundreds of new residential lofts along with new businesses serving this growing residential neighborhood.

This influx of people has made downtown interesting beyond the normal workweek. New restaurants and stores are opening at a lightening pace just as every available building is being converted to living space. People are walking the sidewalks or biking to their destination. The streets are active morning, noon and night.

“In four years we are where I thought we’d be in ten years,” says loft dweller Marcia Behrendt who was one of the first to move into the 10th Street Lofts. The early loft purchasers had a gut instinct that downtown would take off and today they are being rewarded with a great urban experience.

The loft experience includes a healthier lifestyle. Walking to work, walking to dinner, walking to the grocer store and just going for a walk and chatting with neighbors you see on the sidewalk. Frequent travelers walk to the MetroLink to catch a train to the airport.

“I feel safer walking downtown than on a deserted sidewalk in my old suburban neighborhood,” says Behrendt who moved downtown from Maryland Heights after her daughters graduated high school. “Busy sidewalks police themselves.”

And busy the sidewalks are. But not everyone has a long walk to work. Mike Finan, owner of home accessories store UMA, lives in the Louderman Lofts above his store. Artist Alan Brunettin paints in the window of his gallery, Urbis Orbis, while his partner, documentary film producer Margie Newman, works in their loft upstairs.

Many downtown residents bike to get around town. From a recreational ride on the North riverfront trail to taking the bike on MetroLink to get to the Loop cycling is easy downtown. Recent streetscape improvements along Washington Avenue include bike racks and new bike lanes along Olive are part of Bike St. Louis’ efforts to increase cycling in the St. Louis area.

The benefits of downtown life are not lost on visitors. I live about 6 miles from downtown but I find myself there more and more often for special events, friend’s parties and just to do my regular shopping. First Friday gallery & shop walks are a favorite of mine since many establishments stay open late. Seldom am I downtown without seeing someone I know.

Downtown St. Louis’ growth isn’t dependent upon residents from within our region. Many new residents and business owners are relocating to St. Louis specifically because of the opportunities afforded them here. St. Louis’ great architecture, friendly streets, and efficient mass transit combined with relatively low prices are drawing people from Chicago, New York and even other countries.

If you haven’t been downtown in a while I suggest you take a new look. Stop in for lunch at one of the many great restaurants, check out the stores or just spend the afternoon taking in the rich architectural detail. You will not be disappointed.

Steve Patterson is a Real Estate Agent with Schaller Realty, www.stevenlpatterson.com or 314-832-6100, a freelance designer and planning consultant. Steve publishes the online site called Urban Review – St. Louis (www.urbanreviewstl.com). Steve lives in St. Louis’ Mt. Pleasant neighborhood.


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