Subtext Goes Vertical on St. Louis Project

The community will be situated near Washington University.

Subtext has started off the new year with a groundbreaking celebration for LOCAL on Delmar, a five-story, 259-unit property located near Washington University in University City, Mo.

The event this week celebrated the start of vertical construction of the property, located at 6650 Delmar Blvd. Construction began at the site in September, with completion expected in the summer of 2026.

“LOCAL on Delmar is about fueling the energy of University City and the Delmar Loop, bringing much-needed residential density to one of St. Louis’ most exciting cultural and entertainment districts,” Tim VanMatre, Subtext founding partner & co-CEO, told Multi-Housing News. “As the largest development in the area, and first in nearly a decade, it will add over 500 new residents and dynamic street-level retail.”

The 398,225-square-foot building will have a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom floorplans, including townhomes. The development will also have 299 parking spaces in an attached five-story garage and approximately 7,000 square feet of street-level retail space spanning the front of the building. An outdoor dining patio will be included.

The property will feature 12,000 square feet of amenities to support resident’s health, wellness, work and social needs. They include a club room with a media wall, vinyl listening station and entertaining kitchen, a work from home hub with private and collaborative spaces, a wellness suite with sauna and meditation rooms, a gym with cardio weights and an outdoor fitness area, a yoga/open fitness studio and pool terrace with grills, cabanas and fire pits.

LOCAL on Delmar will be a 12-minute walk from Washington University and within a short drive to downtown Clayton, Forest Park and Central West End St. Louis.

Project partners include Brinkmann Constructors, ESG Architecture & Design and other local and regional groups such as Larson Capital Management, Stock and Associates Consulting Engineers, Inc., and First Mid Bank & Trust.

Brinkmann Constructors, a national general contractor, has worked with Subtext on resident projects across the U.S. The two companies also partnered for the construction of: VERVE West Lafayette, a 235-unit student housing community near Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.; LOCAL Nashville, a 307-unit multifamily community in Nashville, Tenn.; and LOCAL Boise, a 252-unit multifamily building in downtown Boise, Idaho.

Subtext is headquartered in nearby St. Louis. This marks the firm’s second project in the region. Subtext completed VERVE St. Louis, a student housing development near Saint Louis University, in 2021.

More Subtext projects    

Last month, Subtext announced plans to enter the Virginia market with VERVE Charlottesville, a student housing with 463 units and 1,332 beds that will serve the University of Virginia. Kayne Anderson Real Estate is a joint venture equity partner on the development that began construction in December. It is slated for delivery by summer 2027.

In September, a joint venture of Subtext and Harrison Street completed VERVE Madison, a 142-unit, 536-bed student housing community in Madison, Wisc. Also in September, Subtext and partner Nuveen Real Estate acquired more than 3 acres in Orlando, Fla., for the construction of VERVE Orlando, a student housing property with 200 units and 626 beds near the University of Central Florida.