This Week in the Region: Millennium Hotel Site to Become a Vibrant Downtown Destination, Strengths Abound in St. Louis’ Priority Industries, and More
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“A Once-in-a-Generation Moment”: Millennium Hotel Site to Become a Vibrant Downtown Destination
Gateway Arch Park Foundation announced this week that it has selected The Cordish Companies to redevelop the Millennium Hotel property adjacent to the iconic St. Louis Gateway Arch. The Foundation worked with Greater St. Louis, Inc., St. Louis Development Corporation, PGAV, the City of St. Louis, and other partners to bring about what Cordish Principal Blake Cordish called a “once-in-a-generation moment to reimagine and continue to reinvigorate Downtown’s urban core.”
Why It Matters: This milestone marks a major step toward revitalizing a key Downtown site that has stood vacant since 2014. And it brings us all close to restoring the core of our region, a priority goal in the STL 2030 Jobs Plan.
“We are delivering on our promise to take swift action to bring vibrancy once again to this critical Downtown location,” said Ryan McClure, Executive Director of Gateway Arch Park Foundation. “By selecting a developer before closing on this property, we are continuing momentum with purpose and dedication. The Cordish Companies is a world-class U.S. developer, and their vision will be transformative for this site, creating a stronger, more connected Downtown St. Louis and uplifting our entire region.”
BJC HealthCare, SSM Health — both executive-level GSL investors — and the James S. McDonnell Foundation are helping to make affordable business loans more accessible to minority-owned businesses. In total, the three organizations are depositing nearly $15 million into St. Louis Community Credit Union’s Community Impact Deposit program, doubling its size and vastly expanding equitable finance opportunities in the St. Louis metro.
$36M “We Are St. Louis” Campaign Builds Community Connection
The Missouri Historical Society — a GSL Investor Council member — this week launched a new campaign that will not only fund renovations and launch new programs, events, and exhibits, but will better connect St. Louisans to their own history. The “We Are St. Louis” campaign aims to generate pride in and for St Louis while helping to shape the region’s narrative and build emotional connections.
In just one month, St. Louis will observe 314 Day, a week-long celebration of the makers, musicians, artists, businesses, organizations, attractions, and neighborhoods that make our metro so special and so St. Louis — all under the umbrella of STL's original area code.
Whether your area code is 314, 636, 618, or 573, you're part of 314 Day.
Join Greater St. Louis, Inc. and commit to celebrating St. Louis that week. Add your event, celebration, or special deal to the calendar and show your pride in being STLMade. Read why this is important.
Intersecting Innovation: Strengths Abound in St. Louis’ Priority Industries
According to the STL 2030 Jobs Plan, the growth of St. Louis’ agtech sector has the power to help shape St. Louis’ economy. Good news: the industry is thriving in the region, with exciting innovation happening at its juncture with geospatial tech, biotech, and beyond. From the cultivation of top talent to wraparound support for entrepreneurs and growing companies, opportunities in intersecting industries abound in St. Louis.
“St. Louis is very community-focused,” said Tom Cirrito, Co-Founder of Varro Life Sciences. Read why Varro has chosen St. Louis below. “Things here happen in groups, which sometimes take a little longer to get off the ground, but once they do, they have a much higher chance of success.”
We Are STLMade: In just a few weeks, agtech entrepreneurs, industry leaders, support organizations, and others will gather at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in San Francisco, uniting under the STLMade banner to show the world that everything that feeds agrifood innovation is planted in St. Louis.
New to St. Louis and setting up shop in Cortex Innovation District, Varro Life Sciences is developing commercially available medical devices that can quickly and effectively detect airborne pathogens, a game changer for public health. “This is a company that could be built and grow anywhere,” said Sam Fiorello, Cortex President and CEO. “They can go anywhere. People are courting them and want them. The fact that they’re growing here is a great testament to what we’ve built.”
Saint Louis University has earned the “R1” designation in the 2025 Research Activity Designations, the highest classification that universities can attain for research activity. SLU joins an elite group of fewer than 190 universities nationwide to hold that status, including Washington University in St. Louis. Both universities are executive-level members of the GSL Chair’s Council.
Since 2012, St. Louis-based Arch Grants has funded over 270 innovative, diverse, early-stage companies with $18.5 million in non-dilutive grants. The application window for their 2025 Startup Competition is now open through March 31. Recipients commit to building their businesses in St. Louis for at least one year and receive up to $100,000 in equity-free grants plus access to an ecosystem of resources and support.
