Greater St. Louis, Inc. has responded to a recent story published by the Wall Street Journal that highlighted the challenges faced by Downtown St. Louis. In a statement, the organization emphasized the importance of addressing these challenges and the ongoing efforts to revitalize the city’s core.
According to Greater St. Louis, Inc., the business community is actively working on restoring the core of the city, which is identified as a top priority in the STL 2030 Jobs Plan. The organization acknowledged the complex challenges facing Downtown St. Louis but expressed optimism about the progress being made, stating, “While there is much work to do, we are making and seeing progress and will continue our work, day in and day out, to make Downtown the world-class neighborhood at the heart of our world-class metro.”
The Wall Street Journal story focused on one problem property in Downtown St. Louis, including the Railway Exchange. Greater St. Louis, Inc. is collaborating with a potential development team and experts to address these challenges. The organization also criticized the Journal’s reliance on a flawed study from the University of Toronto, which did not accurately represent the economic recovery of Downtown St. Louis.
Despite the challenges highlighted in the article, Downtown St. Louis is experiencing momentum with increased visitors to the Gateway Arch, rising hotel bookings, and a decrease in violent crime. Greater St. Louis, Inc. and the St. Louis Development Corporation have introduced new incentives to attract retail businesses to the area, generating significant interest from retailers.
Additionally, the Wall Street Journal recognized St. Louis as one of the “Hottest Job Markets” in the country, highlighting the city’s strong performance in tech job growth. The ongoing efforts to revitalize the urban core and stimulate population growth in St. Louis are crucial for the city’s success in the coming decade.
For media inquiries, Tony Wyche can be contacted at 314-398-9991 or Tony@GreaterSTLInc.com.
