Apartment news: Among 2016’s posts were articles about two apartment projects that were completed this year, The Orion at Euclid Ave. and West Pine Blvd. and lofts@625 on Euclid Ave. at Delmar Blvd. Three projects are currently under construction in the CWE, including Citizen Park at Lindell Blvd. and Euclid Ave., Rothschild Development’s 29 unit apartment project on Olive St. just west of Taylor Ave., and Komen Properties’ The Euclid, a 6-story mixed-use building at Euclid Ave. and West Pine Blvd., which will have 72 apartments and a Shake Shack as a signature tenant.
And to add to the momentum, earlier this month there was an announcement of a 36-story apartment tower proposed for the northeast corner of Kingshighway and West Pine Blvd., below.
Residential news: For a year-end report on sales in the CWE I turned to neighbors, real estate agents Amy Howell and Paul Mittelstadt who advised that
“While 2015 was an excellent year for residential real estate sales in the CWE, with 373 sales reported to the Multiple Listing Service, 2016 continued to see some additional improvements.
The total number of sales dropped only slightly in 2016, with 359 total sales, $100,000 and up compared to 373 in 2015. The condo market had 229 sales, $100,000 and up, a bit better than the 220 in 2015. However, the average condo price per square foot jumped from $173 per SF in 2015 up to $185 per SF in 2016. The average sale price for condos also increased from $259,000 in 2015 up to $294,000 in 2016. The highest price paid for a condo in 2016 was $2,500,000 for the 27th floor at the Chase Park Plaza. So 2016 was a very good year for CWE condo sales.
The single-family market had 130 sales in 2016, $100,000 and up. This was down slightly from 2015 when there were 153 sales. The good news is that the average price per square foot increased from $135 per SF in 2015 up to $143 per SF in 2016. The average days on the market also improved in 2016, from 76 days in 2015, down to 67 days in 2016. The highest price paid for a single-family house in 2016 was $1,295,000 for the home at 4638 Pershing Place. The market was surprisingly slow in the price points above this.
A very encouraging trend which we’ve observed in the past two years has been the influx of County residents to the CWE. These are primarily empty nesters whose children are no longer living with them. They tell us that they are attracted to the vibrancy and walkability of our neighborhood. This is a buyer pool which we didn’t see ten years ago. And fortunately, we continue to see buyers coming to the CWE from out of town, people who are coming to St. Louis to work for Washington University, BJC Health Care, St. Louis University, Wells Fargo Advisors, Boeing and many other employers.”
Shop news: In 2016 we welcomed east + west to 387 N. Euclid, The Candle Fusion Studio to 4742 McPherson, living-collective* to The Vino Gallery, and Amy Johnson’s KayOss to 393 N. Euclid, 2nd Fl. di Olivas, an olive oil shop, will be opening early in the new year on S. Euclid across from Whole Foods, which also opened this year at Euclid and West Pine Blvd. We miss Libby’s and are sorry to hear that West End Tan will be shutting its doors December 31.
Restaurant news: Mission Taco Joint replaced Gringo at Euclid and McPherson, the Gamlin Brothers are opening 1764 Public House at Euclid and West Pine later this year, Ed King opened Pagan Wine Bar at 239 N. Euclid, Silo Coffee and Goods opened at TechArtista, and the much-anticipated Vicia, below, will be opening in the next month or so in the Cortex Innovation Community.
On the flip side, Kopperman’s has closed, Aaron Teitelbaum has moved Herbie’s to Clayton, and the Tilford brothers (Mission Taco Joint) are shuttering Tortillaria Mexican Kitchen at 8 1/2 S. Euclid December 31.
Theater news: 2016 marked the 10th anniversary of St. Louis Actors Studio at 358 N. Boyle, and The Improv Shop, which has been at 510 N. Euclid for three years, recently announced that it has outgrown its space and is moving to larger digs in The Grove early in 2017.
Residents: Families are a vital part of the CWE, and there seem to be more children than ever living in the neighborhood. As examples, check out the post on Pershing Place’s Scoops on Stoops, Westminster Place’s Easter Egg Hunt, the CWE’s 4th of July Children’s Parade, the annual Holiday celebration and Halloween festivities in the neighborhood.
Parties of the year included a street celebration marking the 1st cocktail party on record sponsored by CWEScene in June, and the Central West End Association’s 1st Annual Gala at Third Degree Glass Factory in early December.
Politics: CWE resident Eric Greitens and his family will be moving to Jefferson City when he is sworn in as 56th Governor of the State of Missouri on January 9……and longtime 28th Ward Alderman Lyda Krewson is our pick in the March 7 primary for Mayor of the City of St. Louis.
*Katy Noonan proprietor of living-collective has announced that she will be leaving The Vino Gallery later next week and moving to a space at TechArtista, 4818 Washington. The Vino Gallery has been hosting more events in the space, so there isn’t room for Noonan’s shop any longer.
If I’ve missed anything in this post, please let me know. Otherwise, here’s to more good news throughout the neighborhood in 2017. Happy New Year!