We now have our first look at what the redevelopment of the Chemical Building into a 240-room dual-brand hotel (Residence Inn & Springhill Suits by Marriott) looks like. J.T. Campo Architects posted these images on their website showing what the beloved building will look like after redevelopment.
Immediate observations show the street-level of the building being overhauled with floor to ceiling glass, removal of facade additions along 8th Street, and the restoration of the facade. Inside, the look becomes much more standard for a hotel. Any remaining ornamentation on the ceilings appears slated for removal. I'm not sure how much ornamentation is left, but there is a picture online of a mosaic ceiling and the Mroz Jewlery store has a beautiful, vaulted ceiling and iron work.
Mroz is rumored to be moving to a new space at 720 Olive Street.
Regardless of the interior alterations, it'll be wonderful to see this building reactivated as I've only known it as a vacant and boarded up building (save for Mroz Jewlery).
With the redevelopment of the Chemical Building, Downtown St. Louis will lose one of its last remaining vacant buildings. Following this project, downtown will have the old Municipal Courts Building, old Police Headquarters, former Millenium Hotel, Railway Exchange Building, Orpheum Theater, and former City Place Hotel on the list for redevelopment. Buildings like Butler Brothers and Jefferson Arms are presently under redevelopment and the AT&T Tower has a plan for redevelopment.
I haven't heard of when construction will start on this project, but bidding closed on February 7th.
Check out the gallery below for more images.
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