ST. LOUIS – A conference Friday announced a new partnership with St. Louis Development Corporation and Greater St. Louis Inc. to make downtown St. Louis safe, vibrant, and beautiful.
“No great city can exist without a thriving downtown; they’re a magnet for the next generation of talent,” Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc., said. “They’re a magnet for activity, community gathering, business leadership, innovation, (and) civic pride.”
Mayor Tishaura Jones says she asked partners to develop a plan for bold action in the next 120 days to address the Railway Exchange Building and Millenium Hotel.
“We have already started to make meaningful investments over the last six months. SLDC, in partnership with Greater St. Louis Inc., has invested over a million dollars into 7th Street corridor revitalization, as well as supporting Laclede Landing Main Street,” Neal Richardson, president and CEO of SLDC, said.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore stated that although there is a perception of downtown being dangerous, he walks through downtown every day and doesn’t believe that is true. He recommends citizens get out and take advantage of this summer to enjoy the amenities downtown has to offer.
Greater St. Louis Inc. is actively working towards the metro’s plan to advance inclusive economic growth over the next decade. The note is that if downtown can prosper, it will bring in more innovation, employment density, and population growth.
“These are two monumental, mammoth buildings in our downtown that need attention, so I’m looking forward to seeing what they come back with,” Mayor Jones said. “It could be commercial, retail, partially residential. I think the possibilities are endless.”