Tagged: economic development

For years, there’s been interest in trying to develop more housing, business and recreation around MetrLink stations in the St. Louis area.

Tuesday evening the East-West Gateway Council of Governments will begin hosting a series of community meetings to gather feedback on one such effort. 

Paul Hubbman of East West Gateway Council of Government is project manager for the study.

He says one of their goals is to understand why business development around MetroLink stations has been slow to materialize.

The former Daniele Hotel in Clayton will reopen soon as a Hampton Inn and Suites.

The Daniele has been shuttered since 2007. But Equis Hospitality Management in St. Louis says it will spend about $16 million to renovate the hotel on North Meramec Ave. The new hotel will have 106 rooms, including 25 suites, and underground parking.

Equis co-owner Greg Mullenix says they will add a fifth floor to the hotel and they’ll feature a restaurant and bar at street level.

The East-West Gateway Council of Governments held the first of four public forums tonight for its new study on development at MetroLink stations.  

The project will create a toolkit local stakeholders can use to create sustainable communities around MetroLink stations and encourage business development.

Mary Grace Lewandowski is an assistant project manager for the study and said the agency will use a number of criteria to identify five stations with especially high development potential.