ST. LOUIS — New steel plates will be installed at downtown’s historic Railway Exchange Building at a later date after a miscommunication among officials.
Security doors and window shields were installed on the east side of the property on Olive Street .
But the steel plates were removed hours later once city officials realized that first responders had not yet been trained on how to access the Railway Exchange, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
Steph Kukuljan and other business reporters bring you insights into St. ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëùµ¼º½ÍøÖ·-area real estate and development.
Last week, the board of directors for St. ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëùµ¼º½ÍøÖ· Development Corp., the city’s development arm, approved a $100,000 deal for Chicago-based DAWGS Vacant Property Security to provide special steel plates and window shields at the property, 615 Olive Street, to keep trespassers out. The money also will go toward helping regional business group Greater St. ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëùµ¼º½ÍøÖ· Inc. pay a security firm to patrol the Railway Exchange.
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A recent fire and other break-ins had prompted city officials to take further action with the building, which spans 21 stories across 1.2 million square feet, after the absentee owner, Florida-based Hudson Holdings, stopped paying for security this summer.
Railway Exchange was once Famous-Barr’s flagship store and a major center of activity for the downtown area. But its last tenant, Macy’s, left around 2014. Proposed redevelopment efforts have failed to get off the ground. The building now has been a destination for looters, homeless people and others who have broken through doors and windows — as well as through underground tunnels.
The city condemned the property in January as a public safety hazard. Alderwoman Cara Spencer, who represents the downtown area, filed legislation to start eminent domain proceedings.
±õ³Ù’s one of four major vacant buildings, including the former AT&T tower, the Chemical Building and the Millennium Hotel, that officials say are crucial to revitalizing downtown.