ST. LOUIS – Construction has begun for the $3.7 million project that will link Ballpark Village and the America’s Center via the much-anticipated Brickline Greenway.
The improvements, including new lighting and trees, are expected to make Seventh Street more pedestrian-friendly while also encouraging biking through the Brickline Greenway.
“We think this is going to invite the next phase, which is additional private investment in things like new restaurants, more retail, and the kind of things that will cause more people to be here in the first place,” Greater St. Louis Inc. Chief Downtown Officer Kurt Weigle added.
Local businesses like Hot Pizza Cold Beer, which opened earlier this year, are excited about the potential boost in foot traffic.
“I think it would actually attract more people because we do see a lot less foot traffic here at nights and in the evenings. I think it will help bring more attraction to our business as well as other businesses in the area,” employee Hanna Suter said.
This is the next big step downtown. City leaders and Greater St. Louis Inc. have launched a public partnership to revitalize downtown, focusing on reclaiming major vacant properties like the Railway Exchange Building and the Millennium Hotel.
“Of a $4 million project, almost $1.3 million of it is private sources of funding. It’s a great example of how the public sector and the private sector have to work together to benefit downtown to really make it all it can be,” Weigle said.
With the expected completion by June 2025, nearby business owners believe St. Louis is on track for positive transformation that will make downtown more connected, accessible, and vibrant for years to come.
