Washington Avenue Highlights of St. Louis
Washington Avenue is a remarkable and historic avenue in St. Louis. It has many terrific attractions and sights. At the turn of the 20th century, Washington Avenue used to be a breathtaking canyon of rich brick buildings with unparalleled architectural beauty. Manufacturers of shoes, clothing, and fashion practiced their trade here.
This was a booming time for these manufacturers, and their goods were in high demand as St. Louis and the nation were expanding and prospering at an unrivaled speed. The sidewalks of Washington Avenue were the picture of a booming metropolis where people strolled along in their stunning turn of the century hats and parasols and bustles, window shopping for the smart and innovative goods of the day.
It was home to the prominent garment district that gains attention in every city. The printing industry began to flourish as well. In general, Washington Avenue was swiftly becoming a hot spot in St. Louis.
At this time, Washington Avenue has been converted into a great phenomenon. It has been reignited with new life and is a terrific neighborhood with residential lofts, galleries, nightclubs and various attractions that appeal to a vast demographic of youth and families. It’s quickly becoming a St. Louis hot venue with wonderful architecture and business.
Just as a great boom happened on Washington Avenue at the turn of the 20th century, the second boom began at the turn of the 21st century. Plans were set in motion following the Washington Avenue Streetscape Project. Funding was provided in the form of $4 million from the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, and $13 million from the Missouri Dept. of Transportation enhancement program.
Included improvements from the design plans by the Washington Avenue Streetscape Project were to the lighting, a plaza, trees, and wider sidewalks. These revivals included parts of Washington Avenue from Tucker to 18th Street. Thanks to these improvements, Washington Avenue has become a wonderful place to shop and get together with friends. Retailers and restaurants are taking in more income than ever, as people are frequent their businesses more often.
New businesses are looking to buy shop space in this area of St. Louis, seeing the great potential for income and expansion of their businesses. People enjoy the updated streets and fun architecture that beckons back to another time in St. Louis history. Take for example old buildings like P.T. Barnett’s Spanish mission style building on 3207 Washington Ave. That’s just another great model for places in St. Louis where the old perfectly intertwines with the new, creating fresh ideas for business and expansion.
As you can see, the time to live and work on Washington Avenue is now! Families, businesses, and individuals are all seeing the great possibilities St. Louis has to offer. You should also do the same. If you are a small business owner or are just looking for the next hip place to live in St. Louis, check out Washington Ave.
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