Lawrence Group has completed the redevelopment of Kirberg Co.’s 44,000-square-foot headquarters and distribution facility in St. Louis. Lawrence Group provided design/build services for the redevelopment of the historic property, which contains office and warehouse space.

The two-story building achieved LEED certification with sustainable features such as bamboo flooring, motion-sensor lighting, maximized natural light, the use of recycled materials, a green roof, increased water efficiency and the installation of a shower for employees to promote alternative transportation.

Source: REBusiness Online

Walton Construction St. Louis has been selected as general contractor for the new $6.7 million, 20,000-square-foot Chesterfield Medical Institute. The facility will include an outpatient surgical unit and three medical practices — Laser & Dermatologic Surgery Center, West County Dermatology and Generation Dental Group. Walton also is providing pre-construction, estimating and value engineering on the two-story medical complex. The architect on the project is Feeler-Scheer Architects LLC.

Source: St. Louis Business Journal

Last year, developer Kevin McGowan and his company blueurban held a one-day sales event for lofts in their new Ballpark Lofts at Cupples Station Building #8, and sold 61 of 68 lofts in an hour and a half.

The real estate market is very different this year, but blueurban plans to repeat the sale and the buyers’ priority list that led up to it. Does McGowan expect similar results?

“Interest for our Cupples Station Building #9 loft project is much greater and we expect to sell all of these lofts on a single Saturday this spring,” said McGowan in an announcement. The lofts in question overlook Busch Stadium and will sell for $170,000 to over $500,000. McGowan expects to sign up 61 priority buyers who each will hand over a refundable $2,500 check for priority right to pick and buy the loft of their choice.

“Our goals are the same as last year and our expectations so far have been met,” said bluerban’s marketing rep Jenni. “Ballpark Lofts are right in front of Busch Stadium. During ball season, living there is an experience only few can say they have.”

We’ll be interested to see how it goes…

Dave Dwars of the Lawrence Group was quoted in a Midwest Construction cover story on redevelopment of downtown St. Louis this month.

According to the article, 69 buildings have been restored downtown since 1999, totaling $1.3 billion in development.

An example is the Lawrence Group’s $125 million Park Pacific Building. Renovation of the 22-story, 470-sq-ft former Missouri Pacific/Union Pacific building, originally constructed in 1928, will include 108 condos, 50 apartments, 51,000 sq ft of office space and another 10,000 sq ft of space for street-level retail.

Another $1 billion in projects is in the pipeline with 26 buildings being restored or under development.

Other facts:

• 10,000 people live downtown of which 5,000 are new, according to the Downtown St. Louis Partnership.
• About 1,200 additional residents are expected to move in over the next three years.
• 2,700 new housing units opened downtown in the past two years.
• Downtown currently has more than 7,400 rental and sale units.

Ebersoldt + Underwood Architects and WDM Architects have formed a joint venture to design the $150 million redevelopment of the Lemp Brewery complex in St. Louis. The 14-acre property presently includes 29 brick buildings built between 1864 and 1919, which would be redeveloped into 400 residential apartments and approximately 75,000 square feet of retail. The developer is Kansas City, Mo.-based Garrison Development. Construction is expected to begin in May and be completed in phases over the next four years.

Source: REBusines Online

Paric Corp. has broken ground on a $23.5 million hotel in the Delmar Loop neighborhood of St. Louis. The Moonrise Hotel will be a seven-story, 124-room boutique hotel featuring an upscale restaurant and bar, two meeting rooms and a rooftop patio. The developer is the Loop’s very own Joe Edwards and ACI Boland is project architect. St. Louis-based Lodging Hospitality Management will operate the hotel upon completion in February 2009.

Source: REBusiness Online