New, State of the Art Downtown Police Substation being Established At Highly Visible Corner in Downtown St. Louis
Highly Visible Space to Act as Crime Deterrent
Rendering of the new downtown slmpd bike unit hub at the globe building (view from Tucker Boulevard)
The Downtown CID has recently entered into a lease with The Globe Building to relocate the Downtown SLMPD Bike Unit into a highly visible street-level space in The Globe Building. The existing office for the Downtown SLMPD Bike Unit is currently located in a small, low-profile storefront in the Fashion Square Building at 13th and Lucas. The New Downtown Bike Unit Office will:
Occupy over 4,000 square feet of brand new, forward-looking space in a 1st-floor corner storefront facing both Tucker Boulevard and Convention Center Drive.
Generate significant police visibility and deterrence value on a high-traffic street.
Have its street-facing exteriors clad in sleek stainless steel, with SLMPD branding prominently displayed to create maximum visibility.
The Globe Building will provide 100% of the funding for the build-out of the new SLMPD space, which will be leased rent-free to the CID for a ten (10) year term. The space is anticipated to be ready for occupancy in late September with no additional cost to taxpayers.
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The managing partner of The Globe Building, Steven Stone, stated that “the funding commitment was inspired by the unremitting determination and commitment of the resident-led neighborhood organizations who have, and continue to make, uncommon sacrifices for the betterment of downtown”
“This highly visible location will play an important part in our role of ensuring Downtown safety,” explained Major Benoist. “Public-private partnerships like this one between The Globe Building, the Downtown CID, and SLMPD, where the private sector aggressively participates in security solutions, are an important part of a larger plan to address the perception and reality of downtown safety.”
Kelli McCrary, Executive Director of the Downtown CID, which has an agreement with SLMPD to help fund the Downtown Bike Unit’s physical location, equipment, and training, added that “this is an exciting opportunity for SLMPD to have a more visible space, adding a state-of-the-art substation within the core of Downtown, which will benefit the community as whole. Our partnership with SLMPD, and now The Globe Building, has been a major collaboration, supporting a valuable asset and leading efforts to make Downtown St. Louis safer.”
A representative of several neighborhood organizations and an individual plaintiff in the action against the Downtown Shell, Matt O’Leary, added, “We express our sincerest gratitude to the members of the newest security collaboration. We were stronger and more effective when we work together. In particular, the owners of The Globe [Building] and the Post properties continue to step up financially and provide meaningful leadership in efforts to bring the Washington Avenue corridor back to where it should be. This is an important step.”
Rendering of the new Downtown SLMPD Bike Unit Hub at The Globe Building (view from Convention Center Drive)
Background
In the last 24 months, resident-led neighborhood organizations and property owners have mobilized to provide leadership to address many of the issues facing downtown.
A key target of this coordinated effort was the Tucker Shell Station, which, under intense legal pressure as a prominent nuisance property, agreed to close for good this summer in settlement of multiple lawsuits.
This coalition is now expanding to include the Downtown St. Louis Community Improvement District (the “Downtown CID”) and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (“SLMPD”), which are teaming up with The Globe Building to expand and relocate the Downtown SLMPD Bike Unit into a highly visible, state-of-the-art, ground floor space in The Globe Building at the southeast corner of Tucker Boulevard and Convention Center Drive.
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