Another favorite project of 2017 that has broken ground and is moving toward completion is the former Victor Iron Works site at 7th and Victor Street in Soulard.
This five story, 127-unit apartment building will bring a massive, brick urban building to the former industrial site.
While I'll miss seeing a reminder of the Industrial Era, I think we need to understand that industry like this is not coming back to American cities anytime soon. So, this is a great new use for the property.
Chris Naffziger of St. Louis Patina wrote back in November, 2013 that Victor Iron Works once fabricated cast iron storefronts, of which our fair city has many. Exploring St. Louis did a piece back in August, 2012 on the topic of iron storefronts, including the Victor Iron Works placard:
Photo credit - Exploring St. Louis
“Whistler One LLC, the site’s owner, has a St. Louis permit to construct 127 apartments at Victor and South Ninth streets. The city issued the $15 million building permit last Wednesday.
Affiliated with Whistler One is longtime St. Louis developer Trace Shaughnessy. Records indicate he also works with Asprient Properties, which recently completed Soulard IceHouse, a project of 42 apartments in the former Polar Wave building. The two sites are adjacent.”
NextSTL most recently reported on the project in April, 2017 including images of a refined design:
Here's the scene when I visited a couple weeks ago, proof that the foundation is well underway:
View from Broadway/7th looking north (Polar Ice/Soulard IceHouse in the background)
So the Polar Wave building was saved, the Victor Iron Works was not, but we will soon have over 160 new housing units in a part of a popular neighborhood that was kind of dead before these projects. The thing that makes a city feel vibrant is lots of people. With people come places.
Driving on Broadway is not a good view of Soulard and this will certainly help as it hugs the sidewalks just north of the brewery. That is why this one is on the list of favorite 2017 projects. It'll be fun to see this one rising and even more fun to see more people on the streets of Soulard in coming years!
