MUST KNOW FACTS ABOUT ARCADE'S PAST
October 5, 2015 adminIf you’re thinking about living at Arcade, you should at least know its history, right? The Arcade is an old building with quite a story. Here are 10 facts about Arcade’s past.
1. It was originally called the Arcade-Wright building.
2. The Arcade was actually two buildings.
The Wright building has 18 stories and it was created in 1907. The Arcade building has 26 stories and it was built later in 1913.
3. The area was labeled historic.
The majority of the other buildings in the area (about 40 square blocks) were destroyed for the Gateway Arch and the Gateway Mall. So, the Arcade is lucky to still be standing.
4. Businesses abandoned the building in 1978.
The reasons why are still unknown. Business owners just left and never came back. They even left things behind. Years later, the Missouri Court printing office still had case papers lying about.
5. The business owners tried to demolish the building.
In 1989, business owners tried to demolish the building. Some sources say they wanted to make Arcade into a parking lot. Luckily, they denied the owners permits to demolish the building.
6. The Arcade was made of brick with Gothic detailing and terracotta ornamentation. This was a fancy building for high-end businesses.
7. The building was once a major shopping and office destination. It had 800 offices and 200 shops.
8. The Arcade has been a city landmark and a national historic landmark since 1980.
9. Tom Barnett designed Arcade. He also designed other buildings in St.Louis like the Cathedral Basilica and Kingsbury Place.
10. The new building renovation is part of the city’s downtown revitalization strategy St.Louis.
The Arcade is adding more than just apartments to downtown. The building is bringing shops, studios, and inspiration into downtown St. Louis.