The Gateway Arch Park Foundation has officially taken ownership of the long-abandoned Millennium Hotel in downtown St. Louis, marking a major step forward in a large-scale redevelopment initiative.
The Millennium Hotel, which first opened in 1969 near the Gateway Arch, was once the city’s largest hotel, featuring 780 rooms, 19 suites, and a revolving restaurant at the top of its 28-story tower. However, due to years of declining conditions and deterioration, the hotel closed in 2014 and has remained vacant ever since.
On Wednesday, the Foundation confirmed it had completed the purchase and assumed control of the property. This acquisition follows the Foundation’s announcement earlier this year of a $670 million redevelopment vision for the site. The plan includes demolishing the existing Millenium Hotel and transforming the space into a vibrant mixed-use district. The redevelopment, led by Baltimore-based The Cordish Companies, is set to include upscale residential, Class A office space, public spaces, an amphitheater, a food hall, event space, a potential home for Gateway Arch National Park’s archives, enhanced streetscapes, pedestrian-friendly spaces, landscaping, and art installations. The goal is to generate new energy, activity, and job opportunities in the downtown area.
“Gateway Arch Park Foundation has its origins in visionary projects like CityArchRiver,” said Ryan McClure, Executive Director of Gateway Arch Park Foundation, in a recent statement. “We have brought that same tenacity and courage to the Millennium Hotel site, with our mission at its core: to help Gateway Arch National Park and surrounding areas in Downtown St. Louis thrive and to reconnect our city with our riverfront.”
While the exact purchase price wasn’t disclosed, city records previously valued the site at $4.3 million. The Foundation emphasized that this is the first time in 26 years the property is locally owned. The property was previously owned by Millennium & Copthorne Hotels of London.
Before demolition of the hotel can begin, a remediation plan must be approved. Once underway, the Foundation estimates it could take up to two years to fully dismantle the hotel site.
MEET
For 20+ years, the MEET family of products have provided regional and national resources that have kept corporate, association, medical, education, independent, and religious meeting and event planners informed about relevant vendors, industry news, tech innovations, and resources that impact and influence how and where they plan their group business.
For 20+ years, the MEET family of products have provided regional and national resources that have kept corporate, association, medical, education, independent, and religious meeting and event planners informed about relevant vendors, industry news, tech innovations, and resources that impact and influence how and where they plan their group business.
