St. Louis Garment District Placemaking Initative
In 2018 and 2019, BJH Advisors, together with Francis Cauffman Architects (FCA), jointly completed the St. Louis Garment District Placemaking Initiative for the Downtown STL, Inc. (DSI), a local economic development agency in St. Louis. The initiative is a first step toward rejuvenating the city’s historic Garment District, and transforming it into a new hub of commercial and residential activity with a particular focus on fashion, the creative sector, and emerging industries.
BJH and FCA worked closely with local officials, the St. Louis Fashion Fund, and other local stakeholders to identify a strategy for building on the history and assets of the Garment District and repositioning the neighborhood as a destination for a 21st century fashion industry.
To support this vision, BJH and FCA engaged in a comprehensive information gathering and data analysis effort that included existing conditions analysis that focused on historic industries within the District, extensive stakeholder engagement, and literature and best practices review, that examined the dynamics and economics of urban fashion centers in cities across the United States. BJH and FCA identified physical and infrastructure improvements in addition to programmatic initiatives that would enhance the Garment District’s sense of place and shape its character. To implement this vision, BJH developed a model and toolkit for financially sustainable public and private investment in the neighborhood.
