Top 5 St. Louis Completions in 2019

Consistent demand for housing in St. Louis is matched by a healthy development pipeline—developers had some 3,550 units underway in the metro as of May, according to Yardi Matrix data, and more than 10,300 units were in the planning and permitting stages.

Almost 1,100 units came online year-to-date through May, accounting for 0.9 percent of total stock, outpacing the national rate of 0.7 percent. Yardi Matrix compiled a list of the top completed projects—by number of units—in the first months of 2019. A relevant trend to observe is how developers focused on repositioning structures and seized value-add opportunities in case of sites previously employed for industrial and retail purposes, among others.

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5. Level on Locust

Level on Locust. Image courtesy of Yardi Matrix

TWG Development acquired several vacant buildings in Downtown St. Louis situated on the 900 block of Locust Street in 2016, with plans to transform them into townhome-style condos. Although the developer didn’t keep every structure—the Tudor Building was demolished—two former warehouse buildings have been transformed into an 88-unit apartment community.

The 12-story Scruggs-Vandervoort-Barney Warehouse at 917 Locust St.—listed on the National Register of Historic Places—and the five-story Leacock Sporting Goods Building were delivered in April. The project is part of a larger redevelopment movement taking place Downtown, where several other historic properties such as Jefferson Arms, Chemical Building and Railway Exchange Building are undergoing significant overhauls.

4. Woodward Lofts

The 250,000-square-foot historic Woodward and Tiernan Printing Co. building underwent a $40 million conversion after developer Pier Property Group acquired the structure for $5.1 million from JBG Properties in 2017. PPG financed construction with a $25 million loan originated by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. St. Louis aldermen approved 10 years of tax abatement for the project.

ARCO Construction served as the general contractor, while architectural firm Trivers Associates’ design preserved the factory’s early 20^th-century charm. The property’s foot-thick walls and the new, heavily insulated windows muffle the sound of the adjacent railroad, which is only a few feet from the building.

3. The Vue at Creve Coeur

Vue at Creve Coeur. Image courtesy of Yardi Matrix

Blanton Construction served as the contractor for the 182-unit luxury community located at 1001 Old Olive Way in Creve Coeur, Mo. The two-building property was developed on the former site of Hamilton Christian Church, a 118-year-old Disciples of Christ congregation that closed in 2013.

Altus Properties acquired the 24,000-square-foot building—with the roughly 7-acre plot it was situated on—for $2 million. The property owner kicked of the project with $28.1 million in construction financing provided by Commerce Bank in 2015. The Vue at Creve Coeur came online in March.

2. The Villages at Twin Oaks

The two-building apartment complex, funded with $44.9 million in construction financing, encompasses 219 units and occupies the former site of a Schnucks grocery. Propper Construction Services developed the $59 million mixed-use development, which features a restaurant, retail space and a rooftop swimming pool, among other amenities. Holland Construction Services served as the contractor, while Zwick and Gandt Architecture designed the complex, which debuted just in time for the 80^th anniversary of the foundation of Twin Oaks.

1. Villages at Lake Silvercote

Villages at Lake Silvercote. Image courtesy of Yardi Matrix

The largest delivery in the St. Louis metro area year-to-date through May is the 381-unit garden-style community situated at 100 Dry Brook Road in Wentzville, Mo. ZM Management broke ground on the 32-building development in early 2013 and completed it in phases.

The developer financed the project with a $10 million construction loan from Great Southern Bank and an $11 million Fannie Mae mortgage originated by Hunt Real Estate Capital. The community is located alongside U.S. Highway 61, some 40 miles northwest of downtown St. Louis.