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Grand Center is a fantastic area of St. Louis. On your next visit, make sure to stop by this famous landmark that everyone is talking about. So that you can better understand where it’s been and where it’s headed we’ll take a brief look into the historical past of Grand Center.

The St. Louis population began to move west towards the Mississippi River after the turn of the 20th century. This area is what is now known as Grand Center. This is also the location of the St. Louis University which sits midtown next to Grand Center. You can find amazing old historic buildings and mansions that are built in a traditional style along Grand Blvd. Some of these old mansions are part of the historic real estate for sale you see today. Hospitals, pharmacies, shops, and churches also sprang up from Grand Center. There was such an abundance of churches that this area would in time become known as Piety Hill.

The initial two decades of the 20th century led to many homeowners migrating west toward the new community of Grand Center. It became a popular spot for theater and vaudeville. Regrettably, countless numbers of original mansions and historic buildings were destroyed and in their place were offices, the theater and other St. Louis commercial real estate. Many of the theaters constructed comprise of the Princess (1912), Odeon (1904), the Victoria (1913), the Grand Central (1913), and the Empress (1913).

Starting after the 1920’s the Center began to thrive even more, despite the ravages of the Great Depression and World War II. Not only does the theater thrive, but Grand Central became a transportation hub as a major stop on streetcar and bus routes. Great movie palaces also sprung up in the 20’s and this brought even more commerce to Grand Center.

Great movie palaces included the Missouri Theater (1921), the St. Louis Theater (1926), and the Fox Theater (1929) After 1950, and straight through 1980, Grand Center saw a surprising decline. As the urban population began to decline, people began to move out of urban places like Grand Center. People began to go to the theater and movies less frequently, and many of these theaters were eventually torn-down or turned into different venues.

Grand Center began to see its much expected revitalization in 1980. At this time Grand Center was classified as a National Historic District. Necessary funding was obtained and the marvelously restored Fox Theater and Sheldon Concert Hall were reopened.

Grand Center Inc. was established in 1987 to overlook the revival of Grand Center, and the arts, entertainment, and education district truly came to life. With the years some tremendous improvements were made to the infrastructure, improving the lighting, sidewalks, and parking facilities. Buildings were restored and 25 arts and education organizations became the mainstay of Grand Center. It’s no wonder that today Grand Center is the 12th largest attraction of St. Louis.

Present day Grand Center is an incredible area for personal and private investment, and only continues to grow every year. It has various styles and modes of architecture that is a product of the educational and artistic accomplishments of the past. Among the highlights of architectural developments is Thomas P. Barnett’s great Spanish Mission style art deco building located at 3207 Washington Ave.

Art Deco and Spanish Mission Style Architecture is part of some of the classic buildings of Missouri. To download the original plans of the Thomas P Barnett Historic Buildingor go here to find out more About St Louis Commercial Real Estate For Sale