The disputes between St. Stanislaus Parish and St. Louis Archdiocese are all about money, property, asset protection, control, and a belief by one man that he had absolute power to do as he wanted in his position as Archbishop. From 1891 to early 2004, the parishioners of St. Stanislaus lived in relative harmony with past Cardinals and Archbishops, who lead the Archdiocese of St. Louis. For example, on October 18, 1969, then Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, later to be Pope John Paul II, visited St. Louis and spent many hours at the rectory of St. Stanislaus and celebrated Mass later that evening, in 1991 Archbishop May celebrated the historic Centennial event of the deeding of the church property by Archbishop Kenrick to St. Stanislaus, in 2003, Cardinal Rigali blessed the newly completed Polish Heritage Center. What then happened thereafter to impact these harmonious relationships between St. Stanislaus and the past leaders of the Archdiocese? In 2004 the then-Archbishop of the Archdiocese, Raymond L. Burke, determined to put into place a plan that would shield the assets of the Archdiocese from claims asserted by victims of what has become known as the priest scandals. Thousands of persons had filed lawsuits and continue to file lawsuits, claiming that they were victims of sexual abuse by priests of various Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the United States, including the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The Roman Catholic Church and its insurers have paid millions of dollars in redress to these claimants. The threat to the solvency of these archdioceses was so compelling that some took the extraordinary step of filing for bankruptcy. Archbishop Burke's Plan in his words would be a "…revision of the form of civil law structure of parishes [of the Archdiocese, but not St. Stanislaus, a civil corporation, which unlike these other parishes owned its assets outright] to nonprofit corporations…." Because these parishes were associations, with assets owned by the Archdiocese, the assets were at risk to be used to pay the claims of the victims. By using the civil law structure of nonprofit corporations, only the assets of the particular parish where the accused priest served would be at risk to pay claims. The assets of the other parishes in the Archdiocese would not or so the reasoning went. Prior to the Plan being instituted, Archbishop Burke observed that "The parishes of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, with the exception of St. Stanislaus…are presently structured in the form of unincorporated associations." With ominously chilling candor, Archbishop Burke, confident that all of his decisions and actions would never be questioned, promised: Once the final form has been given to the proposed revision of the civil law structure of the [other] parishes, St. Stanislaus…will be asked to accept the same civil structure as every other parish in the Archdiocese. If the board of director [of St. Stanislaus] refuses to revise the present structure of civil incorporation I will be left with no other choice than to declare that the parish is no longer part of the archdiocese [sometimes referred to herein as "suppression"]. In addition, in a letter to the parishioners of St. Stanislaus the Archbishop further defined what he would demand of St. Stanislaus, stating: I must insist that [St. Stanislaus] comply with the norm of Church law, as does every other parish in the Archdiocese, in what pertains to its structure….[St. Stanislaus] will continue to hold all of its [assets], but the administration of the [assets] will be carried out under the direction of the [Pope], [myself] and the priest [whom I appoint]…." What Archbishop Burke did not clearly disclose in his communication with the members of St. Stanislaus is what he meant when he used the word "administration" as defined by the Church. The term "administration" in "Burkespeak" would allow the Archbishop to sell, change, and control parish property, so that while title might technically remain with St. Stanislaus the power to manage and fully control that power would be conveyed to Archbishop Burke. He backed up his demand with the threat that if St. Stanislaus did not obey he would remove it from the Archdiocese. In issuing this ultimatum Archbishop Burke ignored the covenants and provisions of the 1891 documents – documents that the Archdiocese claims govern and define the legal relationship between the Archdiocese and St. Stanislaus. Article III of the Charter expressly contradicts the power that Archbishop Burke claimed he had to compel St. Stanislaus to give him "administrative" control over its assets with these words: "The property, business, and affairs of [St. Stanislaus] shall be managed and fully controlled by a Board of Six directors . . . ." In rightful reliance on secular law and promises guaranteed to it in the 1891 Charter, St. Stanislaus did not "conform" to "the Plan" and true to his word that he would "…be left with no other choice than to declare that the parish is no longer part of the archdiocese" Archbishop Burke decreed that St. Stanislaus was suppressed, a Canon Law term that describes the process by which a local parish is banished from an archdiocese. Before Archbishop Burke took this final action, he ordered the priests serving St. Stanislaus to cease serving it, later excommunicated the board of directors, and excommunicated a young Polish priest who courageously answered the call of the parishioners of St. Stanislaus to minister to their religious needs and lead them in worship, the first time on the eve of the day of the birth of Christ, 2005 before over 2000 joyful parishioners. The young Polish priest was named Father Marek Bozek. Before accepting the call to become the priest at St. Stanislaus, Father Bozek met at the Vatican with Pope John Paul II. Speaking together in Polish, Father Bozek asked the Pope to pray for him as he worked to decide whether he should accept the call from St. Stanislaus. The Pope replied that he had already been praying for Father Bozek and would continue to pray that God would bless Father Bozek's decisions and future ministry. When it was a parish of the Archdiocese, St. Stanislaus was legitimately unique, both in terms of its Polish ethnic heritage, as well as its more secular status as a parish that owned the real property, improvements, and personal property that comprised the St. Stanislaus parish – a status that has existed for over 115 years. Archbishop Burke, as did his predecessors, understood this unique status. In an article in the Archdiocese controlled newspaper several months after he was installed as the ordinary of St. Louis, Archbishop Burke made these telling acknowledgements and admissions as to the special and unique status of St. Stanislaus, a status that he subsequently failed to respect and honor, based on his belief, albeit contrary to secular law, that he had the power to undue what Archbishop Kenrick and St. Stanislaus had agreed to more than one hundred years before Archbishop Burke moved into the mansion on Lindell Blvd. Archbishop Burke wrote in the May 14, 2004 edition of the St. Louis Review: I take great pride in St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish as a personal parish for Polish speaking Catholics and Catholics of Polish Heritage in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. . . . The present form of civil incorporation of St. Stanislaus . . . places complete authority for the administration of the parish in the hands of the board of directors, which operates according to its own bylaws. In summary the Archbishop recognized and acknowledged the unique status of St. Stanislaus as "a personal parish" and a form of civil incorporation that "places complete authority for the administration of the parish in the hands of the board of directors, which operates according to its own bylaws." These statements, made by a person, who is now on his way to the Vatican to, according to Archdiocese publicity, become someone akin to the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, unequivocally confirm that the Archbishop knew, understood, and recognized what St. Stanislaus has always correctly contended was its status prior to the date Archbishop suppressed St. Stanislaus. He ends his article with a threat – that in spite of St. Stanislaus being a personal parish vested with complete authority for its administration in its board of directors – he would suppress or banish St. Stanislaus from the Archdiocese if it did not agree to his demand that it no longer be a personal parish and no longer have authority for the "administration" of its assets vested in its board of directors, presumably because he believed, as the Archbishop, that he had the power to do so regardless of the legal status confirmed on St. Stanislaus in 1891. In the article the Archbishop did not assert that the Archdiocese and/or he had certain legal rights to control St. Stanislaus. In fact Archbishop Burke wrote to the contrary, acknowledging the unique status of St. Stanislaus. Nor did he accuse St. Stanislaus of any violations of Church Canon Law, question the faith of its members, nor indicate that it was not Roman Catholic. At the time that the Archbishop made the startling admissions and in substance said, "I don't care what the relationship is legally, if St. Stanislaus does not obey me they will be punished," the Archdiocese had placed a young priest and canon lawyer in the parish as Parochial Administrator named Father Philip Bene. Father Bene did not speak Polish and was not an effective administrator, much less a competent pastor for the spiritual and pastoral needs of the members of St. Stanislaus. But for the furtherance of the Archbishop's agenda he was obedient, compliant and loyal to his superior the Archbishop. In his article in the St. Louis Review, Archbishop Burke wrote: Regarding parish funds, no bishop [and presumably no priest either] may confiscate the funds of any parish. Such action is directly forbidden by the Code of Canon Law. The Archdiocese and some ill-intentioned individuals allege that in 2004, an unresolved dispute arose among the directors of St. Stanislaus regarding the operation of the Parish. There was such a dispute, but the Archdiocese in bad faith fails to provide any background on the nature of the dispute. In fact the St. Stanislaus Board of Directors had notified Father Bene that the Parish operating funds and a never before touched emergency fund (approximately $60,000) had been exhausted by him and asked him to account for the missing funds. He refused to do. This was "the unresolved dispute" - a serious dispute that touched upon whether there had been "a confiscation" of St. Stanislaus funds, an act that if true was "directly forbidden by the Code of Cannon Law." Archbishop Burke did nothing to resolve the dispute. He did nothing to investigate whether there was confiscation and misappropriation of parish funds by Father Bene. The Archbishop could not objectively resolve the dispute because Father Bene was his loyalist. Instead, Father Bene who to be an effective pastor had to have the trust and respect of the parishioners of St. Stanislaus breached what little trust and respect he had by arrogantly telling the Board he would not account for the shortfall in parish funds. By failing to hold Father Bene accountable, Archbishop Burke condoned a violation of Canon Law. In the same St. Louis Review article, Archbishop Burke wrote: And I have confirmed publicly my intention to help [St. Stanislaus] in every way possible, pledging that it will enjoy my fullest support. For example, even though the archdiocese anticipates having fewer priests to assign in the coming year, I have promised to St. Stanislaus . . . the service of both a priest of the archdiocese and a native Polish priest. After pledging that St. Stanislaus would "enjoy my fullest support" and promising "the service of both a priest of the archdiocese and a native Polish priest," Archbishop Burke ordered Father Bene to vacate St. Stanislaus overnight without notice in August of 2004, not as a rebuke to Father Bene, but as punishment directed to St. Stanislaus because it had not shown a willingness to implement "the Plan." Thereafter, Archbishop Burke refused to assign a new priest to St. Stanislaus and, as already plead, continued his campaign of coercion and punishment for "disobedience" by excommunication and suppression. He also forbade the holding of baptisms and marriages in the St. Stanislaus owned church. And not surprisingly he never resolved the "dispute." Moreover, Father Bene, when he packed and left St. Stanislaus suddenly without a priest, took property of the parish without permission, including books and records, furniture, sacred objects for worship, and Polish hymnals, which are now being used at another archdiocesan parish and have stamped on the inside cover "Property of St. Stanislaus." The property that disappeared in the night, when Father Bene followed the orders of Archbishop Burke, was as noted the property of St. Stanislaus, paid for by the members of the parish. Because it was a "personal parish" as Archbishop Burke described it, virtually no monies were given to St. Stanislaus by the Archdiocese over the years. Stunned that the actions of Archbishop Burke did not crush and coerce St. Stanislaus to submit to "the Plan," and dismayed that St. Stanislaus, post suppression, is a growing, flourishing, and vibrant Roman Catholic parish, the Archdiocese along with six individuals turned to the secular courts for relief, constructing a disingenuous Verified Petition that attempts to support the actions of the Archbishop based upon equity and the rule of law, when those actions instead were based upon the unilateral edict of the Archbishop, grounded in a scheme to protect the assets of the Archdiocese from civil claimants victimized by its priests, some of whom have gone to jail. Hence, the contentions of the Archdiocese that St. Stanislaus is no longer a Roman Catholic Church are circular and beg the question because it was Archbishop Burke who broke the promises and covenants granted to St. Stanislaus by Archbishop Kenrick and, under secular law, it is elementary that once one party materially breaches an agreement the other party is released from its obligations. Archbishop Burke's massively miscalculated the will of the people of St. Stanislaus, believing they would "crack" and accede to his demands, making an affront to the dignity of the proud parishioners and a material violation of the legally binding transaction by and between St. Stanislaus and Archbishop Kenrick and his successors. Only after filing a civil lawsuit and realizing that St. Stanislaus would not only not collapse and cave in to the Archbishop and adopt the Plan, has the Archdiocese offered in a press release to place a parish priest at St. Stanislaus. That person, a man named Father Marchlewski, is 75 years old, does not speak Polish, and has a full time position as a teacher at St. Louis University High School. With amazing audacity and failing to disclose the background of Father Marchlewski, the Archdiocese disingenuously suggests that its candidate is capable of serving a growing parish with over 500 families, minimum three Masses every weekend (one in Polish, which is vital to the vibrant heritage of St. Stanislaus), and a myriad of other church and mission programs. Priestless as of August, 2004, St. Stanislaus held prayer meetings on Sundays and limped along until members of the board reached out and found Father Marek Bozek. When Father Bozek agreed to serve St. Stanislaus, filling a need for a parish priest that the Archdiocese had caused, Archbishop Burke, contrary to his promise in the St. Louis Review article to provide two priests, including one who could speak Polish, took these actions against Father Bozek: excommunicated him, convinced Father Bozek's Bishop from the diocese where he served before he came to St. Stanislaus to change his mind and not grant him the leave of absence, tried to convince federal immigration officials to deport Father Bozek, brought charges to have Father Bozek laicized (defrocked as a priest). Ironically, since Father Bozek was called to St. Stanislaus, the membership rolls have increased substantially, along with attendance at Mass, baptisms, marriages, and participation in church activities. Father Bozek is a great and charismatic pastor. His skills as a leader of worship are incredible; his homilies inspiring. Consequently, many people have joined St. Stanislaus and worship there because of his presence as the parish pastor. On March 15, 2012 St. Louis Circuit Judge Bryan Hettenbach, affirmed St. Stanislaus' ownership of its property and its right to craft bylaws that limit the authority of the Roman Catholic Church over our congregation. The case came to trial after 18 months of legal wrangling, and it took Hettenbach more than a year from the end of the trial last February to rule. found for that board in 10 of the case's 12 counts. In the 50-page decision, the judge ruled that "the Archbishop may own the souls of wayward St. Stanislaus parishioners, but the St. Stanislaus Parish Corporation owns its own property." In reading the ruling, one phrase repeatedly jumps out, in count after count: "Judgment is entered in favor of Defendant Polish Roman Catholic St. Stanislaus Parish." On February 13, 2013 St. Stanislaus Parish and the Archdiocese of St. Louis issued the following joint statement: "The Archdiocese of St. Louis and St. Stanislaus have resolved their legal dispute. The Archdiocese will dismiss its appeal and the judgment of the trial court is now final. St. Stanislaus has agreed that it will not hold itself out as affiliated in any way with the Archdiocese of St. Louis or the Roman Catholic Church. By bringing this legal dispute to an end, we pray that this will help to initiate a process of healing.” After 120 years of independence, the people of St. Stanislaus now have a court decision acknowledging their freedom to chart their own course. Now that this long dispute has finally come to end, it is time to move on. ST. STANISLAUS LIVES!!!
Lafayette Square Historic District is a historic district roughly bounded by Hickory and 18th Sts., Jefferson and Lafayette Aves. in St. Louis, Missouri. Buildings in the district include a department store, a single dwelling, a public park, and a specialty store. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. A boundary increase in 1986 added an area roughly bounded by Chouteau Ave., Dolman, Lafayette Ave., and S. Eighteenth St. and Vail Pl. and McKay Pl. Buildings in the boundary increase include single and multiple dwellings, a manufacturing facility and a specialty store.
The Scottish Rite Cathedral, at 3627 Lindell Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri, is a historic, significant building that was designed by architect William B. Ittner. It was completed in 1924. "A fine example of neo Classic style, the building has a frontage of 235 feet and is approached by a broad flight of steps. Its auditorium, which seats 3000 persons, is notable because no posts obstruct the view. Features are an extremely wide proscenium and a fine organ. The granite and limestone structure was erected at a cost of $2,000,000."
St. Francis Xavier College Church is a Catholic church in the Midtown neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri, United States. The church was founded by the Society of Jesus and serves as a parish church in the Archdiocese of St. Louis and for the Saint Louis University community. It is a contributing property in the Midtown Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places and it is listed as a City Landmark in St. Louis.HistoryThe parish was established in 1836 when St. Louis Bishop Joseph Rosati, C.M. permitted the Jesuits to establish a parish at their college. It was St. Louis' first English-speaking parish. The congregation initially met in the college's student chapel, which was dedicated to St. Aloysius Gonzaga. The chapel was located on Washington Avenue between Ninth and Tenth Streets. As the parish grew plans for its own building were begun. The cornerstone for the first church was laid on April 12, 1840 by Bishop Rosati. It was located at the intersection of Ninth Street and Christy (Lucas) Avenue. While from its beginning the church was dedicated to St. Francis Xavier it has always been popularly called the College Church.
The Civil Courts Building is a landmark court building used by the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri in St. Louis, Missouri.The building with its pyramid shaped roof is prominently featured in the center of photos of the Gateway Arch from the Illinois side as its location on the Memorial Plaza is lined up in the middle directly behind the Old Courthouse.The building was part of an $87 million bond issue ratified by voters in 1923 to build monumental buildings along the Memorial Plaza which also included Kiel Auditorium and the Municipal Services Building. The Plaza and the buildings were part of St. Louis's City Beautiful plan.It replaced the Old Courthouse as the city's court building and its construction prompted the descendents of the founding father Auguste Chouteau to unsuccessfully sue the city to get the Old Courthouse back since the stipulation was that it was to always be the courthouse.The pyramid roof on the top was designed to resemble the Mausoleum of Maussollos which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It features 32 Ionic columns (8 on each side). Each of the columns have 6 fluted drums, and a cap, and are about 42ft high, 5½ feet in diameter. They are made of Indiana limestone.
The Majestic Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri, United States (also known as the DeSoto Hotel or Hotel Majestic, now the Omni Majestic Hotel) was a hotel built in 1913–1914. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It is now a restored hotel with 91 guest rooms and is operated by Omni Hotels.Omni Majestic Hotel, St. Louis is a member of Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.The Majestic Hotel has 72000ft2 of space, nine stories and 109ft tall at its maximum height, and is based on a steel frame. It also has brick curtain walls and concrete floors. The hotel was designed as a tri-part structure, including a base, shaft, and capital, and is divided by the use of white terra cotta.HistoryMajestic HotelFirst opened near the end of September, 1914, the hotel is one of St. Louis' few hotels which date from before World War I and still exist today. The building's Renaissance Revival design is an example of common styles in St. Louis architecture in the 1920s. The hotel was built to serve middle-class guests, but it had advanced fireproofing, two restaurants, and a rathskeller.In 1913, construction for the hotel began, replacing a three-story building. The hotel cost about $250,000 to build. However, it is unclear who designed the hotel. Plans for the hotel give credit to Harry F. Roach, while building permits list the architect as Albert B. Groves. Both men were well-known St. Louis architects who had each designed various other hotels, but were never in partnership.
St. Stanislaus Kostka Church is an independent Catholic church building located in the city of St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Formerly a parish belonging to the Catholic Church, it was established in 1880 to serve the Polish community in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. It is considered to be the best example of the opulent Polish Cathedral style of architecture west of the Mississippi River.The church is notable for a highly publicized dispute over control of the parish and its assets between the church's lay board of directors and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis. In December 2005, Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke declared the parish's board members and its priest, Marek Bozek, excommunicated and announced his intention to disband the parish with the likelihood that the premises would be sold. The parish responded by holding a Christmas Eve Mass attended by 1,500-2,000 people. The church and the Archdiocese settled their legal dispute in 2013.The parish continues to be maintained and managed by its parishioners as a not-for-profit corporation, calling itself "Catholic", but unaffiliated with the Catholic Church.
St. Liborius Church and Buildings is centered on the former Catholic parish of St. Liborius in the St. Louis Place neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri, United States. The historic district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and it is listed as a City Landmark in St. Louis.HistorySt. Liborius was established as a German national parish in 1856. The church was completed in 1889. The rectory was built the following year and the convent was built in 1905. The School Sisters of Notre Dame taught in the parish school from 1859 to 1969. The parish buildings were declared a City Landmark in 1975 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. A decrease in the number of Catholics in the area led to a merger with neighboring parishes. It merged with Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Holy Name, and Holy Trinity. The church was closed in 1992 and many of the church's decorative furnishings were sold at an auction in 1993. The property was purchased by Hogan Street Partners LLC.ArchitectureThe church building is a large Gothic Revival structure covered in red brick. It was designed by New York City architect William Shickel. At one time the central bell tower featured a stone tracery spire. It was removed sometime in the 1960s.
The Saint Louis University Museum of Art is the formal art museum for Saint Louis University. It is located at 3663 Lindell Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri and is also known as O'Donnell Hall.The buildingConstructed in 1899, the four story Beaux Arts building originally served as the home of the St. Louis Club. The principal architect of the building is Arthur Dillon of the New York firm Friedlander who included a bowling alley and swimming pool in the basement.After a fire in 1925, the F. W. Woolworth Company bought the building and converted it into offices which served as the regional headquarters for the company. Saint Louis University purchased the building from Woolworth and used it for classrooms until they converted it to a museum in 1998. It is a designated historic landmark.
The Electrical Workers Historical Society: Preserving IBEW’s Legacy It wasn’t long after St. Louis Local 1 purchased the old home of Henry Miller that leaders realized it was the beginning of an endeavor to create a lasting testament to the history of the IBEW. With that in mind, and with the help of the international office, they created the Electrical Workers Historical Society. “We’re grateful to Local 1 for all their efforts to secure the Henry Miller house and are pleased to work with them on the next steps,” said International President Lonnie R. Stephenson. “We have a rich history that we are proud of, and now we have a place to showcase it.” The Society, a nonprofit that has filed for tax exempt status, will manage and raise funds for the building’s restoration and ongoing operations as a museum. The property is currently owned by Local 1’s building corporation and will be transferred to the Society. In addition to managing the funds, the Society will maintain the museum as a space for education and preservation of the IBEW’s history, and to foster deeper understanding and appreciation of the Brotherhood and the broader labor movement. The Society is governed by a board of directors, including International President Lonnie R. Stephenson, Secretary-Treasurer Salvatore J. Chilia, 11 th District Vice President Curtis E. Henke, Local 1 Business Manager Frank D. Jacobs, and James I. Singer, lawyer for Local 1. All funds collected will be used for the purposes of restoring and maintaining the museum. “We’ve come a long way since Miller and the other founders started this union,” Jacobs said. “It’s important that we don’t forget that. We need to know where we came from.”
The Fox Theatre, a former movie palace, is a performing arts center located at 527 N. Grand Blvd. in St. Louis, Missouri. Also known as \"The Fabulous Fox\", it is situated in the arts district of the Grand Center area in Midtown St. Louis, one block north of Saint Louis University. It opened in 1929 and was completely restored in 1982.
The Frisco Building is a historic office building in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. The building was built in 1903-04 as the headquarters for the St. Louis - San Francisco Railroad, which was also known as the Frisco. The architecture firm Eames and Young designed the building as well as its 1905-06 addition; the building's subtle ornamentation and its pier and spandrel system were both important developments in skyscraper design. The Frisco occupied the building for almost eighty years after its opening, and in that time played an important role in Missouri's economic development through railroad construction.The Frisco Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 29, 1983.
The Majestic Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri, United States was a hotel built in 1913–1914. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It is now a restored hotel with 91 guest rooms and is operated by Omni Hotels. Omni Majestic Hotel, St. Louis is a member of Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Majestic Hotel has 72,000 square feet of space, nine stories and 109 feet tall at its maximum height, and is based on a steel frame. It also has brick curtain walls and concrete floors. The hotel was designed as a tri-part structure, including a base, shaft, and capital, and is divided by the use of white terra cotta.
Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis, Missouri was designed by architect Leopold Eidlitz and built between 1859 and 1867. The Gothic revival structure was an expression of the city's sense of its significance as the United States expanded westwards. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1994.
Coming to St. Louis Union Station in Fall 2018. LODGING HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT ANNOUNCES THE NEXT PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT AT ST. LOUIS UNION STATION The St. Louis Aquarium to Make a Splash in 2018 ST. LOUIS — August 9, 2016 — Something fishy is happening at St. Louis Union Station. Today, Lodging Hospitality Management (LHM) announces the next phase of development at the National Historic Landmark train station in downtown St. Louis — the St. Louis Aquarium. Construction is planned to begin in fall 2016 with an anticipated completion in fall 2018. “All of us at LHM are excited to bring this highly anticipated attraction to St. Louis,” says Bob O’Loughlin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Lodging Hospitality Management and owner of St. Louis Union Station. “The St. Louis Aquarium will anchor the development that will transform St. Louis Union Station and reposition it as a family attraction destination similar to Chicago’s Navy Pier.” The 75,000-square-foot St. Louis Aquarium will be located in the former mall area within St. Louis Union Station. The $45 million attraction will feature one-of-a-kind exhibits and tanks with one million gallons of water housing thousands of aquatic species. A shark tank holding one of the largest collections of sharks in the Midwest will be a highlight of the new attraction. The exhibit will feature a Shark Bridge, a unique V-shaped rope bridge that will suspend visitors just inches above the 385,000-gallon shark-filled tank. For guests brave enough to walk across, the Shark Bridge will offer a thrilling vantage point above the sharks, stingrays and hundreds of fish. The attraction will be open 365 days a year from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. One million visitors are expected annually. The St. Louis Aquarium will be an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) which holds members to the highest standards in animal care and exhibition. The facility will employ an animal husbandry team of marine biologists and aquarists responsible for the long-term care of the animals in the exhibit as well as overseeing water chemistry, animal nutrition, veterinary care, education, staffing and safety. The aquarium will be an exceptional educational experience for school groups and an entertainment destination for local and out-of-town visitors. An 8,500-square-foot private event space will feature the Shark Tank as a backdrop for weddings, social events and corporate parties. The St. Louis Aquarium will be part of a $70 million family entertainment complex located at St. Louis Union Station. Other components will include the previously announced St Louis Wheel, a 200-foot-high observation wheel with 30 fully enclosed, climate-controlled and ADA-compliant gondolas that seat up to six adults each. Wheel passengers will take three to four rotations high over the St. Louis skyline during the 10-to-12-minute ride. The St. Louis Wheel will be a new iconic attraction on the St. Louis skyline and will be operational every day of the year. Other phases of the entertainment complex at St. Louis Union Station are underway in an area beneath the historic train shed that will be known as The Train Park. The Train Park will feature food and beverage concessions served out of train cars and shipping containers, the Fire & Light Show at the Lake, the St. Louis Wheel, the Hard Rock Café and Landry’s restaurants, and new retail and family attractions. The first phase of development — the Fire & Light Show at the Lake — will open by November 2016. The show emanates from nine fire pods submerged in the watery pool. Tube lights, hung from trees in the Train Park, and a light show projected onto the ceiling panels of the train shed above the lake, will create a display synchronized to music on view every 30-minutes on the hour. A new boardwalk around the lake will allow guests to stroll completely around the water and connect to both the Hard Rock Café and Landry’s restaurants. A cantilevered net lounge will be installed between the restaurants where guests can relax in a hammock-style lounge that hovers above the lake to view the Fire & Light Show. The Train Park and Fire & Light Show are being created by Groundswell Design of Philadelphia. The company recently completed the popular Spruce Street Harbor Park in Philadelphia. That attraction was recently named in the national media as one of the best places to visit in Philadelphia and has become a popular gathering space for locals and visitors alike with floating gardens, colorful hammocks and food and drink from local restaurants. To learn more about Spruce Street Harbor Park, visit the website at www.delawareriverfront.com. Enhancements also are continuing at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel which will add 32 new hotel rooms beneath the clock tower section on the Market Street side of the building’s northeast corner. Construction on the rooms will start in January 2017 with completion by fall 2017. The hotel currently offers 539 rooms and will increase to 571 rooms when the $5.5 million project is completed. The hotel also will add 15,636 square feet of new meeting space by expanding the Midway east to 18th Street. Six new breakout rooms ranging from 1,600 to 2,835 square feet will be added along with another 8,700 square feet of flexible event space created with one of the shark tanks as a backdrop at the cost of $3.5 million. Construction on the meeting space will begin in January 2017 with completion by fall 2017. About St. Louis Union Station The National Historic Landmark St. Louis Union Station at 1820 Market Street in downtown St. Louis opened to the public on September 1, 1894 and was owned by the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis. Designed by Theodore Link, it included three main areas: the Headhouse, the Midway and the 11.5-acre train shed. The Headhouse originally housed a hotel, a Fred Harvey restaurant, passenger waiting rooms and railroad ticketing offices. It featured a gold-leafed Grand Hall surrounded by Romanesque arches and topped with a 65-foot barrel-vaulted ceiling and stained-glass windows. Union Station’s Headhouse and Midway are constructed of Indiana limestone and initially included 42 tracks. At its height, the station combined the St Louis passenger services of 22 railroads, the most of any single terminal in the world. It was the world’s largest and busiest railroad station when it opened in 1894 and its train shed was noted as the largest roof span in the world. In 1903, the station was expanded to accommodate visitors to the 1904 St Louis World’s Fair. Today, the station includes the AAA Four Diamond St. Louis Union Station Hotel, a DoubleTree by Hilton. The 539-room property features four unique ballrooms, beautifully appointed guest rooms and specialty suites, and the elegant Grand Hall featuring an award-winning 3-D projection mapping light show and a 65-foot-long bar. St. Louis Union Station is owned by Lodging Hospitality Management (LHM). The hotel has been named one of the world’s top railway themed hotels by Condé Nast. For information, visit www.stlouisunionstation.com/union-station-hotel/. About Lodging Hospitality Management Established in 1986, Lodging Hospitality Management (LHM) is an independently owned and operated lodging and hospitality management company. The largest privately held hotel company in the St. Louis region with 5,000 guest rooms, LHM has expanded its portfolio over the past 28 years to include 17 hotel properties including upscale, independent and brand-affiliated hotels, eight restaurants and two commercial properties. LHM has acquired and repositioned such iconic hotels and real estate as the Hilton at the Ballpark which features Three Sixty, one of the 10 Best Rooftop Bars in the World; Union Station which features a popular holiday train ride and the award-winning 3-D light show in the Grand Hall; and The Cheshire Hotel, which includes the new restaurant Boundary, as well as dining spots Basso, The Fox and Hounds Tavern and Starbucks. LHM contributes heavily to the St. Louis region in philanthropic ways by supporting the St. Louis Zoo, Police Foundation, Logos School, Pathways to Independence, United Way, The Boy Scouts, the American Cancer Society, and many other charitable entities. For more information, visit www.lhmc.com
Two locations in the St. Louis area (Downtown and Maryland Heights) provide St. Louisans with a combined 24,500 square ft. of climbing! Our massive arches and amazing top-out boulder will challenge experienced climbers, while our introductory classes allow novices to learn the ropes. To experience the thrill of indoor rock climbing climbing without taking a class, our 15 autobelays are the perfect option. See you soon! Downtown Gym Upstairs Events: https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=scos0jt7ji9il103pftug8ilb0%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Chicago
St. Liborius Church and Buildings is centered on the former Catholic parish of St. Liborius in the St. Louis Place neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri, United States. The historic district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and it is listed as a City Landmark in St. Louis.HistorySt. Liborius was established as a German national parish in 1856. The church was completed in 1889. The rectory was built the following year and the convent was built in 1905. The School Sisters of Notre Dame taught in the parish school from 1859 to 1969. The parish buildings were declared a City Landmark in 1975 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. A decrease in the number of Catholics in the area led to a merger with neighboring parishes. It merged with Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Holy Name, and Holy Trinity. The church was closed in 1992 and many of the church's decorative furnishings were sold at an auction in 1993. The property was purchased by Hogan Street Partners LLC.ArchitectureThe church building is a large Gothic Revival structure covered in red brick. It was designed by New York City architect William Shickel. At one time the central bell tower featured a stone tracery spire. It was removed sometime in the 1960s.